On Nov. 3, the varsity girls volleyball team began their journey to win the 2022 volleyball playoffs. With a number of mishaps occurring to the players, including the flu and concussions, the girls were low on players. Head coach Fred Mann decided to move up an impressive JV player, sophomore Lily LaFlesch. LaFlesch, who played all of the volleyball season with the JV team, felt she competed well with the varsity team. She claimed that, “It was really stressful at first, but I used my adrenaline to play better in the game.” 

Despite this unfamiliar face, the team played incredibly well against their first opponent, the Desert Vista Thunder. After winning three sets back to back and sending Thunder home from the playoffs, the team seemed capable of winning the playoffs. Five days later, the team played Sandra Day O’Connor, and their forward momentum continued. With a final score of three sets to one, the team made it into the semifinals. The team’s next opponent, the Aztecs from Corona del Sol, had an undefeated record and three division one players. With every set decided within seven points of the opposing teams score, the final score was one set to three favoring the Aztecs. 

Mann said that despite his disappointment in losing, it is “A good reflection if you’re disappointed that you didn’t win it all because it tells you how good your team is.” Though unable to win it all, Mann’s expectations for his team were high, and the girls competed their best to meet his expectations.