The girl’s volleyball program held their Senior Night game on Tuesday. It was a successful and fun night for both the players and for everyone who came out to support them.
The night kicked off with the recognition of each of the 12 senior players on the team; a short speech was given about what they loved most about volleyball and thanks that they wanted to give to family and supporters. There was a mixture of excitement, nostalgia, and anticipation in the air, as the senior players prepared for their last home game as a Mustang. The girls had a successful night, beating Glenbard North 25-20 and 25-11 and ending conference play for varsity 5-3.
“My favorite memory from that night was being on the court with my teammates, we had so much energy. It was so much fun. I also loved all the fans that came to support and cheered when I got in!” senior Kate Danko said.
“Senior night was an emotional rollercoaster for me,” said senior Miranda Cada. “I think it still hasn’t really hit me that this is my last year playing here. I cried when I saw the underclassman and my family crying, but other than that, it was down to business. I think it’s always nice to beat the team you are facing on senior night, and that’s exactly what the team and I were determined to do. We struggled a little bit in the first game, but in the second game we came out, and just had a ton of fun which was what the whole night was about!”
“My best memory from senior night was that during the game we all never gave up,” said Isabelle Palczynski. “Another thing that made the night amazing was the amount of supporters that came to cheer us on.”
Some of the girls felt nostalgic about high school volleyball coming to an end. “I’m really sad that this is my last year, but I’m also glad that I was apart of such an amazing program and family,” said Danko. “My experience on the team is something I will remember and carry with me forever. High school sports have taught me so many valuable lessons that I am so grateful for. We still have playoffs left and I don’t think it will hit me that volleyball is over until I don’t see my team and coaches everyday.”
“It’s sad knowing that this is my final year here at Metea. I think the friendships I’ve made the past [three] years on varsity, freshman year and sophomore year are going to be something I will miss the most,” Cada said.
The girls functioned as one unit, moving effortlessly and working together to win. Both their sense of teamwork and the hard work they put in is something that does not go unnoticed. “It wasn’t just a team, it really felt like a family everyday of every season,” said Danko. Coach MacDonald also gave his input as to how he felt about senior night as well as the season overall. “It was outstanding. You had a lot of girls in that haven’t seen much playing time this year, and you know they’ve worked so hard in practice, this senior group of twelve girls we have, and when you put them in, they lived up to my expectations and their own expectations and helped us get the two set win against Glenbard,” he said. “This is just a great group of girls that worked really hard and have accomplished a lot so far.”
The girls also recalled what volleyball means to them and what playing the sport has been like over the years.
“I think I’ve grown so much as a player over these years and I can only thank my coaches and teammates for helping me get here,” Cada said. “I’m going to miss everyone here at Metea and I wish the best of luck to my teammates and other girls in the program for years to come.”