Down 11-14 in the fifth set, West Ottawa versus Zeeland East for the District Championship. If they lose even one point, their entire season is over. Zeeland East serves, but it goes into the net. WO cheers at this opportunity to win. Despite that, it is still match point. One mistake will cause WO to lose their chance at winning the District Championship, and it all falls on Sr. Addy Scholten’s serve.
What was the best part of the game?
Scholten: “The best moment for our team during the game was probably in the fifth set. We had battled back from 11-14, and it was 14-14. You could tell there was an energy switch from the team, and the whole gym was loud. Everyone was on the edge of their seats, and adrenaline kicked in. We all gave it our all for the last couple of points.”
Sr. Magaly Lemus: “The last couple points when the score was 14-11 just seeing the team fight out and win it 16-14 was just very exciting to see my teammates step up. Come out with a win. It was good.”
Jr. Kelsey Simpson: “I think it was seeing the team respond to how Zeeland was playing. When we got down, we brought ourselves back up. There were no crazy losses, like we lost by a crazy ton of points, it really only happened to them. And seeing everyone fight at the end to win it. It was probably one of the greatest moments. And when I blocked the ball and the ball went down, and we won.”
Frosh. Akiah Garvelink: “When I thought we were going to lose when it was 11-14 and then Addy just kept on serving. And then we heard that we won and Mags started crying because she wasn’t done playing yet.”
Head Coach Kaitlyn Lawton: “It’s hard to pick one moment that was the best, but I think a moment that really stands out was the composure and determination that the team showed at the very start of the match. The tone that was set from the very first serve showed a level of confidence within the team that nothing was going to stop them.”
Assistant Coach Ryan Burke: “The best moment of the game for me was watching the set five, game point hit the ground off of Kelsey’s block. I still get emotional thinking about it. It is a special moment and memory I will have for the rest of my life. It is funny how the entirety of a season can come down to one moment and we were blessed enough to be able to put ourselves in a position to come out on top.”
What was the hardest part of the game?
Scholten: “The hardest part of the game was fighting back and staying positive after losing in the second and fourth sets. They were both close sets, the scores were just a few points apart. I think that not getting discouraged and coming out for the next sets strong was the most difficult part.”
Lemus: “For myself, I didn’t think I did great offensively. So I think just keeping my head and chin up and keeping a positive attitude for myself and my team because I felt like I was underperforming.”
Simpson: “At first, when I came out, I was like, ‘Oh, Magaly is gonna be in there the whole time,’ but then we kept going back and forth. Then all of a sudden, it’s set point and I’m going back in. I’m like, ‘Oh crap, Magaly’s gone.’ Obviously, I know I’m not a bad middle, but she’s clearly the better one; she’s committed, and she has more experience. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, why is Magaly not in right now?’ I was stressed because I didn’t wanna do anything to mess up, but if you play like you think you’re gonna mess up, you’re gonna lose. So, I really just went in there like, ‘Guys, we gotta go. We gotta lock in. We should’ve already won. Be confident.’ I was just telling myself, ‘Play like you always play, play like you practice, just do what you do to the best of your ability,’ and that’s what I did. Get up on every ball, don’t leave any gaps in the block, and eventually, that’s what won it. Go back to basics in the last points. That was the hardest thing ever. Every point was on the tip of our toes. Every point could’ve been our last point. That fifth set was just sticking to the basics, doing what I know how to do, getting the ball in the court, and when the time comes, put it down.”
Garvelink: “The hardest part was I was really really scared and I would hit out and I just got super in my head. And losing the second set after winning by that much.”
Lawton: “The hardest thing to do as a coach is to accept that all of the coaching is done besides a few tweaks here and there. Everything that can be done from a skill and prepared standpoint has been done. It’s up to the team to execute the game plan. This is where as a coach we have to trust that the culture that we have worked so hard to build all season comes together.”
Burke: “Coaching a sport where not everyone plays all the time, can be hard. In volleyball you have six people on the court at a time but typically have a roster of anywhere from 10 to 14 people. I don’t think anyone tryouts for a sport and thinks “Man, I can’t wait to sit the bench!” I do acknowledge that it is hard to be “the one” not playing but the reality is not everyone is going to play, the math just doesn’t work out. We really try to instill the idea that everyone has a role on the team and while the role might change, just try to do it to the best of your ability and every role is important- whether you are a challenging someone in practice, hyping someone up from the bench, or the one on the court getting a kill. I’m hoping the players find value not just in being “volleyball players” but as humans that have a lot of value that just happen to contribute to volleyball.”
Other questions:
Q: You guys got a bit emotional during the big win there, can you tell me a bit more about that?
Lawton: “We always had faith that this team was capable of being a competitive force and Coach Burke and I spent a large amount of time working on getting a fantastic practice team to play with the same amount of confidence in a match. At the end of the dramatic win, being down 14-11 in the fifth set and having to be perfect for 5 straight points, the emotions were high. It was an overwhelming mixture of pride for our amazing team, excitement, emotional exhaustion, and relief. The greatest feeling as a coach is to witness a group that you have gotten to know so well and watched them grow through struggles and successes, come together at the end of the season, bought into a culture and experience their joy of the District Title. They worked so unbelievably hard to get to that point and they earned every minute of that win.”
Burke: “It was such an incredible effort by the girls to battle back, down 11-14 and just continue to play fearless and with tenacity and grit. Shout out to [Jr.] Liliana Gitler who played a level of fearless I have never seen her play. Addi for being able to get back behind the service line and deliver. Our entire defense picking up every ball and being perfect those last 5 points. The bench for really bringing the energy and our little slice of student section that showed out. But I was just beyond happy that the effort they put in at the end of the set paid off and the time and energy they had put in day in and day out all season paid off too. Volleyball season can be a grind at times, especially the times when we weren’t seeing a lot of success. The girls pushed through and kept practicing and playing tough and I’m so proud of them. They now have one of those big brown trophies to show for it.”
Q: You (Scholten) had to serve for five points straight, that must’ve been nerve wracking. How was that for you?
Scholten: “I definitely was nervous to say the least. I just tried to distract myself from the reality of it and act like it was any other serve. My focus was 100% on just getting it in the court and over the net, I was not focused on making it a tough serve.”
The score is 15-14 as Scholten walks to the gray endline in the gym of Zeeland East. One more point to win the district championship for the first time in 17 years, and it all falls on her serve. The whistle blows, and Scholten, with a volleyball in hand, steps up to serve. Zeeland East’s libero picks up the serve, and the rest of the team follows to set up an attack. Their middle slams the ball, straight into Simpson’s hands. The ball goes straight down. Despite the large point gap, West Ottawa quickly closed it and won 16-14, never faltering and earning the title of District Champions.
