By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
The Shawnee Heights volleyball team celebrated its Senior Night by showing what it is capable of, and what it needs to do to maximize its potential.
The T-Birds ran into De Soto, ranked ninth in Class 5A, in the second match of the quadrangular and fell 25-14, 25-21. But first-year coach Katie Roy’s team regrouped and blasted Leavenworth, 25-12, 25-9. The match was so lopsided Roy was able to insert a number of substitutes in the rotation.
Senior Clara Morgan helped lead Shawnee Heights to a Senior Night split Tuesday at Heights. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Shawnee Heights senior Sami Baum (23) spikes the ball during Tuesday's Senior Night matches at Heights. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
De Soto was the only team to go undefeated on the night, taking down Spring Hill in three sets to open the event.
“De Soto has a nice team this year, so props to them and their coach. But we learned a lot and saw that we have a lot of work to do after that loss,” Roy said. “I know we’re already more than midway through the season, but there’s always room for improvement, room for growth.
“We have a lot of potential on this team for sure. We’ve just got to be more consistent. That’s what it comes down to. We’ve got to be disciplined and be consistent, and we’ll see how we do in postseason.''
The T-Birds improved to 14-9 on the season, with a number of their losses coming to 6A programs.
Senior Clara Morgan pointed to wins over Washburn Rural and Seaman as indication of the team’s success. Morgan was one of eight seniors recognized in the Senior Night ceremony.
“This was really fun but also emotional because it’s close to our last time playing together,” Morgan said. “We’ve been together for a long time and we love playing with each other.
“I hope we can get a good placement for sub-state and hopefully make it to state because that would be a great senior year.”
“This is a very special group of girls,” Roy said. “I’m blessed to come in with a great group of seniors. It will be hard to lose them all, but they have set the tone well this year and I’m very proud of them. We have a couple of younger girls on the team who will have a great career ahead of them and I’m excited for them.”
MATCH RESULTS
De Soto def. Spring Hill, 25-15, 24-26, 25-22; De Soto def. Shawnee Heights, 25-14, 25-21; Spring Hill def. Leavenworth, 25-16, 25-11. Shawnee Heights def. Leavenworth 25-12, 25-9.
