After finishing the regular season with a 13-9 record, the LHS volleyball team will head to Rapid City in hopes of claiming its first championship since 2011. 

The lady Pats will kick off the State tournament as the six seed playing against the third-seeded Huron Tigers. Although the team lost to the Tigers earlier in the season, they still have confidence in their ability to defeat any opponent standing in their way.

“We barely lost to [Huron] by just two points, and I think that we’re a team that knows how to come back from bad runs, which we’ve had a couple of times during the season,” said senior Caelyn Taylor. “So, if they go on a run, it’s just a matter of staying on top of those and keeping up with the other side.”

This ability to come back from any run stems from practices where the lady Pats put in maximum effort to remain prepared for any task or situation ahead of them.

“I’ve put in 110 percent into every single practice, and I go out into every game thinking how I can better the plays for the next person,” said Taylor.

This mindset of putting in the work to reap the rewards is one that will be beneficial to the team, especially coming from an upperclassman like Taylor. By showcasing a winning mentality, the upperclassmen of the team are able to give the underclassmen added knowledge and experience. 

“I have had more experience than the underclassmen, so I’ve been through a lot more scenarios and I’ve had more experience in handling situations differently,” said Taylor. “I hope to pass that knowledge down to the underclassmen and how to handle situations in the best way possible.”

Along with a strong presence from the upperclassmen of the team, the Pats will have plenty of supporters who will make the trek to Rapid City to cheer on the team.

“I’ve heard of more seniors than any other grade [making the trip], but I think that them getting the energy up like any other game plays a huge impact on how we play,” said Taylor.

With plenty of support from students and parents, not only in Rapid City but also at home, the Pats will be prepared to give full effort to the goal of bringing another State title to LHS. When it comes to the State tournament, records are thrown out the door and each individual point matters so much more.

“[We need] to look past all the seed points and realize that every competition is pretty level this year and that everyone has a fair chance,” said Taylor. “It’s a matter of how hard you work and if you work together.”

The Pats will face Huron at the Rushmore Plaza Civic center at 5:30 p.m. CT on Thursday. To view the bracket or watch the Pats play, you can click here.