The Lady Tiger volleyball team’s season came to an end when they fell to the Lady Falcons of North Forney with a score of 3-0  Nov. 5. 

The Lady Tigers put up a fight against the Falcons with scores of 23-25 in the first two sets and a score of 18-25.

Though the Tigers didn’t go as far as they had been hoping, the girls did make it farther than any team has in the past three years. 

The last team to make it past round one was the 2019 team, led by Treyuanna Rush, who is now a rightside for Texas A&M University in College Station.

The Lady Tigers accomplished many goals that they had set for themselves pre-season, as well as midway through the season.

“Yes, we [met] several goals,” head volleyball coach Melissa Hardy said. “We had a goal midway through district to finish any games we were up 2-0, check. We had a goal to make sure that our kids got noticed this year, check.”

Assistant volleyball coach Robin Holland felt that her goal for the team was to set up a strong defense. 

“For varsity, my goal is always to create a defense that will only make the offensive game easier,” Holland said. “Better the ball.”

Through the season, the Lady Tigers came across many hardships that only brought them closer together, and that they never failed to push through.

“I think the team this year overcame many heartaches and problems,” Holland said. “I think they became sisters that have each other’s back.”

The team finished the season with an overall record of 28-12. They dominated district play, losing only one game to Hallsville, with a final district record of 11-1.

Looking forward to the upcoming season, the Lady Tigers hope to have more leaders emerge to continue to be successful. 

“[Next season] we want to have younger players step up into the role of the seniors, just as they did this year,” Hardy said. 

In addition to the juniors and seniors to be, the Tigers have lots of promising upcoming talent coming in for the 2022-2023 volleyball season, and have every tool to be successful.

“I feel like we have a lot of talent coming up,” Holland said. “I believe our juniors and seniors will have a lot of weight on their soldiers to be leaders and carry the team. I feel like we have every tool to be successful.”

With the season ending, the impact it has had on the players and coaches does not go unnoticed. 

“My bond with these girls has a special place in my heart,” Holland said. “Coach Hardy and I both focus on our love for the girls as people, not just as players.” 

The bond that was made during this volleyball season is unimaginably strong. 

“I think their love for each other bled into how hard they worked for each other on the court,” Holland said. “This led them to their success.”