The Lady Jackets returned to the court after an epic win over 3rd-ranked Mendon on Thursday night, November 14, 2024. The girls played their hearts out in all 5 sets. After losing the first out of five, 25-14, they came back better and beat Mendon in the second and third sets, 31-29, 25-19, Mendon beat the Jackets 25-22 leaving the match tied. The Jackets pulled through in the last set, winning the game, 15-5. The girls used that game as their motivation for the quarter-finals against St. Joseph Our Lady.
At the night’s end, the girls sadly fell short of the win, ending the match 2-3. The ladies won the first set 25-22, losing the second and third 25-13, 26-24. The girls came back better in the fourth set, winning 25-23. The match is now tied 2-2, the Jackets gave it their all but lost in the last set 15-5.
The ladies have not made it this far in the season since 2012. Senior Jaylyn Otto, a second-year varsity player, states, “I couldn’t be more proud, definitely compared to last year when we couldn’t even make it out of districts… So to make it to states was a big improvement, and I will forever remember that.”
Iyla Weeks, a senior and fourth-year varsity player speaks very highly of Concord volleyball. She states, “It’s been amazing, the coaches and the players and the just love that we have for our team has just been an amazing experience.” Both Otto and Weeks agree that the team bond and chemistry on and off the court played a huge part in the girls’ success during this season.
The girls fought hard until the end and did everything they could. Otto says, “Communication and getting along was a big part of the amount of games we won this year, and us just acting like a family towards each other.” The ladies had positive attitudes and kept each other up all the way through. They never let each other down, even when adversity hit.
The ladies had a great season, with a record of 31-9-2. The girls are 2024 Big 8 Champions, District Champs, and Regional Champs. The ladies were also named the Academic All-State Team of the Year. Congratulations, Lady Jackets!
