The Varsity Volleyball Team hosted their home Invitational Tournament on September 14th, where the team finished with a 2-2 record for the day. They started strong against Bishop Carroll, winning the first set 25-18. However, they struggled with serving and passing in the second set and with passing and hitting in the third set, ultimately losing the match with scores of 22-25 and 10-25.

At the tournament the team rallied against Wichita East, where Reagan McDonald and Teagan Canady recorded hitting percentages of .667 and .429, respectively. Teagan Canady, Taylor McDonald, Ava Jacquez, and Gianna Roeser all passed above a 2. They won the match in two sets, with scores of 25-20 and 25-15. The team then defeated Campus with scores of 25-22 and 25-15, led by aggressive serving runs, effective spot serving, and exceptional passing. Kailee Michaud shined in that match, leading the team in hitting with a .571 percentage and four kills, while Ava Jacquez dominated the passing game with a 2.50 serve-receive rating.

Finally, the girls competed against Andale, where they struggled to find the floor and pass in the first set and to play defense in the second, losing 17-25 and 20-25.

The following Tuesday the team faced Maize and Campus at home, achieving their first sweep of the season by going 2-0 on the night! Against Maize, Anna Duncan led the team with a hitting percentage of .333, while Taylor McDonald contributed with seven kills and eight blocks. Defensively, the team was scrappy, picking up numerous tips and dumps, which helped lead to a two-set victory: 25-19, 25-8. Against Campus, the Hornets won in three sets: 25-20, 22-25, and 25-17. The team was consistent in their serving and passing but dominated at the net, with Taylor McDonald recording 14 kills and Teagan Canady adding 12.

At the Maize Invitational that weekend, the team had a strong start, going undefeated in pool play by defeating Derby, Newton, and Kapaun, demonstrating their ability to finish against tough competition. Throughout those three games, the team displayed great energy, served at a 2.06 average with a 92.6% success rate, achieved 14 aces, recorded a 1.90 serve-receive rating, hit .116, and made 11 blocks. However, the Hornets ran out of steam toward the end of the day and lost both of their bracket games, leading to a fourth-place finish. The scores for the day were as follows:
Valley Center vs. Derby: 25-15, 25-23
Valley Center vs. Newton: 25-20, 25-23
Valley Center vs. Kapaun: 13-25, 26-24, 25-23
Valley Center vs. Wichita Northwest: 22-25, 18-25
Valley Center vs. Eisenhower: 25-22, 24-26, 15-25

The Hornets then traveled to Salina South, where they lost their first match to Maize but rallied to defeat Salina South in two sets. Against Maize, the team had a stellar serve-receive performance but failed to show consistency in hitting, serving, and defense. They lost the first set 23-25, won the second 25-12, and lost the third 17-25. However, against Salina South, the girls found their groove again, winning 25-17 and 25-21, led by Taylor McDonald’s blocking, Gianna Roeser’s serve receive, and the hitting of Anna Duncan, Taylor McDonald, and Teagan Canady.

A week later, the girls traveled to Derby, where they had a strong performance against Hutch, winning in two sets: 25-22 and 25-18. Taylor McDonald hit .533 and had eight kills, while Ava Jacquez passed at a 2.37 rating and made 10 perfect passes. The team served aggressively overall, leading to eight aces in the match and reliable serving runs. However, the Hornets later fell to Derby, despite a strong first set and being up in the second. The girls struggled with consistency, making numerous hitting and passing errors and having difficulty adjusting defensively. The scores for that match were: 25-22, 20-25, 22-25.

The team's record currently stands at 12-9 for the season. As the season progresses, the girls continue to work on minimizing their errors and finding consistency between sets.

Stat leaders for the season include the following:
Taylor McDonald: 32 aces
Taylor McDonald: 2.30 serve rating
Avery Davison: 96.7% serve percentage
Ava Jacquez: 1.98 serve-receive rating
Taylor McDonald: 154 kills
Taylor McDonald: .247 hitting percentage
Taylor McDonald: 95 blocks
Gianna Roeser: 212 digs

The Hornets will take on both Salina South and Derby on Tuesday, 10/8, for the final home game of the season. They will also celebrate their five seniors for Senior Night, which will take place prior to the Derby match at approximately 7 p.m. Be sure to come out and support your Varsity Volleyball Team!