State High Girls’ volleyball team takes down Mifflin County in a 3 to 0 set win.

The season opener for State High’s volleyball team was played and won on Thursday, September 7th. “This upcoming season is definitely going to be an exciting one,” said junior setter and right side hitter, Leah Henderson. The now 3-1 volleyball team won all three sets, the first being 25 to 13, the second 25 to 19, and the last 25 to 13.

Sophomore Kate Lachendro led the team in kills, with 15 and had five digs. Henderson led the team in assists, coming in with 15 and contributed six kills. “Mifflin County hasn’t been a hard team to beat in the past, which is why I think we have so fun playing them. We get the chance to try new things on the court which will help us in the future, playing good solid teams,” Henderson said. Coming at a close second, junior Kayla Moran had 14 assists.

Any athlete knows the importance of starting out on top, which was shown in this game. “No matter what game it is, it’s incredibly important to get on top early. It sets the mood and momentum for the rest of the game,” Henderson said. The volleyball team also puts a big emphasis on mental game and chemistry with fellow players. “We talk about different ways to react in different situations, and by talking about our mentalities, we are able to cope with more stressful situations. This year, one of our biggest focuses is team chemistry. We were all so close last year, which is why we were able to make it as far as we did. We probably weren’t one of the top teams in the state based on skill, but we definitely had the strongest team chemistry, which is why we were able to be as successful as we were,” Lachendro said. “Team chemistry is everything in a sport like volleyball. Lacking even the littlest bit can have a negative impact on the team,” Henderson said.

This year, the Lady Little Lions lost nine seniors but also brought on many new freshman. Lachendro said, “it’s a big difference from last year; having the majority be upperclassmen to now having the majority be underclassmen.  Out of our 26 players, only 12 of them are returning players.”  “We have a fairly young team, only having one senior so we are all determined to pass any standards that are set for us,” Henderson said. Stress is also a big factor in how a team can play together, especially with new teammates. “In tense situations, we try to stay focused on our fundamentals.  Breaking it down to basic volleyball is what our coaches really emphasize to us,” Lachendro said.

The 2016 season was a highly successful one with the Lady Little Lions undefeated in their conference and going all the way to the third (out of four) round of the PIAA Championship. Their regular season conference record was an astounding 15-0. “Having all eyes on us this year from other teams in the Mid Penn, is a lot of pressure but personally I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Henderson said. The last game of their season was played against Garnet Valley where they won two sets and Garnet Valley three. On the prospect of the upcoming season, Lachendro said, “I am beyond excited for this season, our ‘growing season’ as some people call it, and I think that the girls volleyball team is going to be a huge force to be reckoned with in these upcoming years.”