The Westside Warriors fell to Lincoln North Star in the state semi-finals to bring their season to an end. The Warriors had a great season ending with a record of 23-10 and being ranked No. 5 in Class A.
The Warriors were district champions and beat Marian in the first round of state to advance to the semi-finals. They played a very exciting five set game against Lincoln North Star but the Navigators pulled off a reverse sweep and came out on top. They may not have made it to the championship but this season will be one to remember. They ended with stats that are over the national average, having 1271 kills, 1080 serving points, 207 total blocks, 1544 digs, and 1652 receptions. Their hard work in the gym shows off when they are playing on the court but the best part is that you can tell how much the girls enjoy playing their sport. Freshman setter Sofia Meister reflected on her first high school season and how much this team means to her.
“I think this first season as a player on varsity went very well, the team really rallied around me especially having to lead an offense, everyone was very inclusive and kind,” Meister said. “They showed me the real part of sports and that is the friendships.”
Between the players, coaches, and the community this team has a lot going for them. There is so much talent on every level for them and it is easy to see that the coaches use that to their advantage. The seniors of this team are very vital and they all play very well. Senior right side Makenzie Wingett was one of the top performers with an average of 3.6 kills per set, 96 total blocks, and 359 kills. Senior outside hitter Madeline Lamb was also very important to the team with 40 serving aces, 0.4 aces per set, 652 receptions, and 323 digs. Senior libero Jane Kubat is a very special player as well with 3.7 digs per set. Other players were very exciting to watch but without these seniors the team would not have done as well as they did. Unfortunately, towards the end of the season Kubat had surgery and could not play which left Junior libero and defensive specialist Mary Bahle to fill in her shoes. Bahle shared her feelings about taking this place during the most important part of the season.
“I was definitely devastated for Jane and especially sad to be done playing with her. I have learned so much from her over the years and she was a huge role model for me. I was definitely very nervous especially because of having to first play in districts and state,” Bahle said. “I was nervous before the game and during warm ups but as the first couple points ended, it felt so amazing and all my prior nerves went away. It felt so fun and natural to be playing with the people I love most and I am so grateful to be surrounded by my teammates who encouraged me and helped me feel confident. It was probably the most fun I have ever had playing volleyball.”
One of the team’s biggest goals is to be comfortable doing hard things and they have done a great job of that. The mental toughness they have portrayed throughout the season provides no doubt that they are ready for anything to come their way. They work hard in the gym, remain competitive, and learn from every mistake which are some of the qualities that make a great team. Their final goal is to bring home a state championship for Westside volleyball and even though they have not done that yet this team is definitely heading in the right direction. Head coach Andrew Wehrli talked about how the program has been working hard to eventually meet their ultimate goal.
“Obviously, we wanna win championships every year, but I think we’re doing the right things, right now! It took three years to get our culture just right in our program. I am so thankful for every player in our program at every level,” Wehrli said. “We have a culture that is supportive, competitive, and Westside volleyball is a family. I think we’re one of the hardest working teams in the gym. The quality of training is extremely high. We’re gonna get over that hump because we’re building confidence in the process.”
This team truly is a special one and as the years go on they will only become even better. This season proved that they are ready to give their blood, sweat, and tears for the fight to the state championship every year. Watch out for the Warrior volleyball team because they are not going anywhere anytime soon.
