Traveling to the Topeka Expocentre on Friday, the Manhattan High Varsity volleyball team competed for a chance to win the State championship. The team ended up last in the tournament.

The girls played against Washburn Rural, Blue Valley West and Blue Valley Northwest.

“I thought we played really well as a team and we never did give,” sophomore middle blocker Kenzie Pease said.

The team lost their matches and was ineligible to move on to the championship match.

“Two of the three matches we went to three sets and came up short which is always hard and disappointing knowing we were right there and just couldn’t finish,” Pease said. “On the other hand, knowing we were capable of hanging in with the other teams was also a boost to know we did deserve to be at that state tournament.”

This was the Varsity seniors’ last chance to play for the season. Ending on a loss has left some of them feeling disappointed.

“It was kind of disappointing because this was probably my last day I’ll ever play volleyball,” senior Sarah Middendorf said. “It’s kind of a bummer to end on a loss but we all played well so I felt good about it.”

Despite the sadness from ending on a loss, there are still some positive feelings from the seniors.

“I’m just glad I got to finish it off with the people that I finished with,” Middendorf said. “It was a good season.”