By Rebecca Daly
Staff Writer
On senior night with endless support for fans, Horizon made the last game of the regular season one to remember with a win over Notre Dame Prep.
The Athletes Unlimited High School Volleyball Game of the Week started off with warm welcomes for the seniors by their teammates followed by Horizon’s very own defensive specialist and libero Makenna Ireton, belting out the National Anthem.
Notre Dame Prep started the first set hot taking a 6-0 lead. Horizon came back, and both teams kept rallying to tie the score up. Horizon came out on top finishing the set strong 25-19.
The second set was anyone’s game with the score tied for most of it. After a lot of back-and-forth hustle from both teams, Horizon ultimately won the set 25-22.
“Our coach kept saying, ‘We can, and we will’, and that's something that really pushed us through because they're gonna get their points, they're gonna get their kills, they're gonna get their blocks, they're gonna do whatever they're gonna do to win. And it's like, how do we respond? And I think that's what really helped us,” Horizon senior outside hitter Teraya Sigler said.
The third set was a thriller, starting off with Notre Dame Prep sophomore outside hitter Lucy Solorzano taking a big hit to the chest, but keeping the ball alive to continue to help the Saints score the point. The Huskies then scored eight straight points, bringing the score to 10-3.
With the score at 13-8, the Saints went on a run scoring 6 straight points taking the lead 14-13. Solorzano had a big impact on the momentum the Saints gained with five kills in the set. Horizon finally worked their way up to tie the score at 20-20.
After some more back and forth scoring, tying it back up at 25-25, Horizon freshman opposite and outside hitter Nia Tinsley came in with a kill that brought energy to the Huskies. Teraya “Tank” Sigler had a powerful kill to score the match point 27-25 and win the match 3-0.
The Huskies keep their No. 2 spot with a 13-3 record in the 5A alignment and the Saints keep their No. 5 spot at 12-4 going into the playoffs.
Tinsley and Sigler are this week’s Players of the Game. Tinsley is a young athlete who made some major plays when she was on the court Wednesday night. Tinsley and Sigler have built a strong connection the past few months. According to Skaggs, Tinsley is like a “mini me” of Sigler, and their chemistry shows on the court.
“I’m so thankful that I've been able to play with T (Teraya) because it's been amazing, and she's just a great role model. It's great to look up to her and be able to play with her,” Tinsley said.
Sigler, the University of Nebraska commit is a force on the court, clearing defenders out of the ball’s path with her kills.
“I'm excited to see how T has influenced her (Nia) because she is a great leader for Nia. She will constantly give her feedback and help her fix things and just hype her up when you can tell that she's kinda down on herself, and I think that's the job of a senior,” Horizon Head Coach McKenna Skaggs said.
Sigler’s influence on the team extends further than the skills she brings to the court. She wants to continue to leave a legacy at Horizon after she graduates.
“I think this year has definitely taught me that there's more than just myself. We have a really young team, and so getting those girls ready for years to come is so important. I feel like I'd be doing a disservice, and all the other captains feel the same way about how we can make these girls prepared for the next three or four years. All these girls are capable of going division one and going to the next level, and so it honestly starts right here,” Sigly said
Now heading into the playoffs, The Huskies have their sights set on a fourth consecutive state championship this year.
“I think this team really wants it. Every single person on this team wants to win, and I think going undefeated in our region just shows how much we want to keep going and win the whole thing,” Skaggs said.
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