The road to state was far from easy for the 2017-2018 Varsity Volleyball Team. Quite literally on the way to Louisville for the state tournament, the team’s bus broke down twice, causing them to walk to the nearest Denny’s for shelter. Do not worry though because senior Morgan Smith admits it “was definitely a bonding experience.”

Playing two of the hardest teams and biggest rivals in one day — Cor Jesu and Lafayette–  the SJA volleyball team earned their state title.

Smith explained how the difficult schedule shaped their competitive mindset early on, giving each of the girls a sort of mental toughness for wanting to win.

Senior Gabby Blossom finished the season strong.

“There were lots of ups and downs but it all came together well,: Gabby said.  “We knew in our hearts we could win.”

What made this team special was the friendship and close bond between the girls. Losing multiple seniors from the year before called for a little more practice at the beginning of the season, but the “freshness,”  as Blossom called it, encouraged the team to go that extra mile.

The mix of freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors created a different dynamic than last year that ultimately helped them win games. Coach Katie Richardson and Assistant Coach Molly Wilson motivated their team all season long, but more importantly, they provided an atmosphere of encouragement and good attitude- win or lose.

The team manager, senior Kelsey Fox, explained how proud she was to be a part of the team and experience such a great win.

“All of the girls worked so hard to win state, and ending up going undefeated in the state championships was a plus,” Kelsey said. “I have been involved with the volleyball team at St. Joe on and off the court for four years, and I had never seen a team like the one this year. It was a truly rewarding season.”

The senior leaders Gabby Blossom, Madison Gresham, Claire Ochs, and Morgan Smith closed their last volleyball season–and year–at St. Joe in the best way possible. For some, this state game might just be the beginning of a long career of volleyball, and the St. Joe community is blessed to have them start their journey at SJA! Time to hang that banner!