Loyola volleyball (9-21, 5-9) saw their season come to an end when they lost both games in the Southern State Athletic Conference tournament.
Despite the tournament losses, Head Coach Margot Fredrick is pleased with the progress the team made this season.
The double elimination format put them up against Southern Wesleyan University and Costal Georgia University, who were second and third in the SSAC respectively.
Even with the loss, the team was pleased with their progression this season.
“There are challenges when you begin any season, so we knew going into this season with a new coach would be a learning experience,” psychology junior and outside hitter Lauren Brand said.
Brand said the team bonding was key to staying mentally strong throughout the season.
“Those little breaks that were lighthearted were what we needed to sustain us through some of the harder times and opponents,” she said.
Fredrick was pleased with the team’s progress but pointed out the win-loss record wasn’t what she hoped for.
“It’s no secret we didn’t win as much as we had expected, especially early in the season,” she said.
Fredrick also said that their winning percentage increased once they reached conference play. They finished 5-9 in the conference.
When they matched up against conference opponent Southern Wesleyan, the middle players were key in getting a win.
“Involving them has been a focal point all season, and seeing Dani be able to connect with them was a huge positive,” Frederick said when talking about the play of English digital media freshman Daniela Leal.
“When we made the necessary improvements, our game changed dramatically and we were fighting hard at the end of the season against the toughest teams in our conference. We did not go out without a fight,” Brand, who had 164 kills for the season, said.
“We wanted to be playing our best ball at the end of the season,” Fredrick said. “Our goal is to continue the upward trend from the end of the season.”
The team won 6 out of its 9 games in the second half of the season.
The coach and the team will use this year as a learning experience to build for next year.
“We learned what not to do when things aren’t easy,” Fredrick said. “From the mentality, responsibility, and servant leadership standpoints we can take some valuable lessons.”
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