The Lady Warrior volleyball team earned an astonishing tournament win in Orlando at the KSA Fall Classic last week. While the girls competed at a high level on Friday and Saturday, they also got to relax at the pool and go to Universal Studios in their free time.
On Wednesday, most players got to experience their first time on an airplane. After waiting hours for departure due to inclement weather in Florida, the team’s excitement was through the roof. The team landed in Orlando early Thursday morning, and the trip was in full swing. Thursday was a planned park day since play didn’t start until Friday. The team rode Universal’s best roller coasters and enjoyed some tasty butterbeer throughout the day.
The volleyball tournament started Friday morning for the Lady Warriors, who faced teams from New York and Florida. The Warriors went a perfect 3-0, clinching a #1 seed for bracket play on Saturday. The group got to have a fancy sit-down meal Friday night at the Irish Pub in Disney Springs. During dinner, they watched Irish dancing and listened to live music. After a long and fun day, the Warriors rested in preparation for playoffs the next day. Saturday afternoon, playoffs started for the Lady Warriors. The tournament was single elimination with consolation matches, ensuring a two-game minimum for the day. The team advanced to the finals, where they played Livingston Academy from Tennessee. The game was a three-set thriller, but the Lady Warriors came out with the gold.
A tournament win always calls for a celebration, and the Lady Warriors got to do just that at Universal’s Volcano Bay on Saturday Night. KSA hosted a “Celebration of Athletes,” opening the waterpark only to the athletes and coaches who participated in their event over the weekend. Sophomore Kyla Kephart stated, “It was definitely a great team bonding experience since we were together all week, and I had fun getting to go to all of the parks with my team.”
The trip ended on Sunday, as the team ate breakfast at the Hard Rock Café, and some girls stayed at Universal to get on more rides before their flight. After waiting a few hours at the airport, the girls made it home safely. Overall, it was a successful trip with many memories made and lessons learned for the Lady Warrior volleyball team.
