By: Avery Clayton

This year’s volleyball team had a fantastic season finishing with a 15-1 record. Their only loss was to Summit Country Day, who they beat in the MVC championship game. 

“I definitely thought the team meshed well together,” Coach Snyder said. “I knew early on that we were going to be a very competitive team just watching how everyone kind of stepped up and played together.”

The team’s only loss to Summit was a close one.

“When we played Summit the first time and went to three games and then lost 35-33, it was just the toughest and most exciting game I’ve coached in a long time,” Snyder said. But after that, Seven Hills never lost again.

“It was kinda hard to stop us,” Snyder said. 

Just before the tournament started, the volleyball team played Summit again and crushed them. “Beating them that second time, I think that’s what gave us the confidence to go into the tournament with [our] heads high, knowing that [we] could do it,” Coach Steuer said. 

The volleyball team improved significantly during the season. They worked hard in practices and improved by playing more as a team. “By the end of the season, each of the players found their role and really started to play as a team more than as individuals, and I think that was really key for us overall,” Coach Young said. 

The team members are seventh graders Bianca Patel, Maddie Imrie, Nyah Suttschenko, Marrisa McNerney, and eighth graders Campbell Coyne, Avery Clayton, Anju Green, and Madison Zortman. Kristen Snyder, Lindsey Steuer, and Kyla Morgan Young led the team as coaches. 

“Each girl fitted into a role,” Snyder said. “They figured out how to make each other better by doing their part to support the team.” 

Nyah and Marissa played outside hitter, with Campbell and Maddie playing back rows. Bianca and Anju performed as all-around setters, while Avery and Madison played middle all-around. 

Overall, the coaches were extremely pleased with how the season ended and they hope the volleyball program will continue to perform well. 

“The only hope I would have is that we continue to build the volleyball program,” Young said. “I would just love next year to continue to see a lot of girls come out and see that love of volleyball.”