The Manhattan High Varsity volleyball team ended their season at the Sub-State meet on Oct. 22. The team played Topeka high first, winning 25-8 and 25-12.

“We played to our potential and were very focused the whole match,” Head Coach Krista Schmitz said. “The girls were in the zone and took care of business with very little unforced errors.”

In their final, championship match, the players took on Washburn Rural. All season, the girls have been playing to beat them but had yet to do so.

“We started the first set off with two big stuff blocks by [senior] Bonnie Hegarty,” Schmitz said. “Washburn Rural took control of the set with some good kills and serving about half way through the first set.”

Despite their battle with Washburn Rural, the Indians couldn’t take control.

“There was no question the girls wanted to fight hard and win, we just couldn’t slow down Rural enough to gain control,” Schmitz said. “Washburn Rural is a talented team and even though the score may not reflect it, the girls played with a lot of heart.”

Even though the volleyball team’s goal was to make it to state, in their coach’s eyes, the season was a success despite not doing so.

“This group of girls practiced and played every day with all their heart,” Schmitz said. “We didn’t make it to state, which was a season goal but we improved every day as individuals and as a team.”

Even with COVID-19 as a huge upset for the girls, they still got through it with passion and patience for the game and each other.

“All season long they overcame adversity with COVID, injury and many other factors,” Schmitz said. “We didn’t even know if we would have a season this summer; we played all our matches except for a couple.”

This year especially, the team had so much commitment. Not only to themselves, but to the game and giving their opponents a fight.

“The commitment to the team and game could never be questioned with this group of girls,” Schmitz said. “I enjoyed coaching them this year, there was never a dull moment, I looked forward to seeing them all at practice every day.”