Onalaska volleyball was swept Tuesday at home versus New Waverly in a 25-14, 25-17 and 25-19 contest.
The final regular season result, however, wasn’t the biggest topic of the night surrounding the team. It is that their season will be extended.
“I think they might be in second place,” Onalaska coach Megan Nichols said of New Waverly. “They beat Coldspring and I know they split with them. It is good, because we are in the playoffs. I think they said we haven't made the playoffs since 2021, but when I talked to all the girls as a team, they have never played in a playoff game in any sport ever. We are excited and we might be a little bit nervous, but we are ready to play Monday.”
The first-year coach has her group in the postseason, finishing behind Anderson-Shiro, New Waverly and Coldspring. Not only did Nichols take on a new group, but did so with a team that has just one senior.
“That was our main thing when we came in,” she said. “We weren't saying that maybe we were going to make the playoffs. We were saying that we were going to make the playoffs. I think at first they might have been a little bit skeptical about it, but then they bought in and have worked really hard to do that. With just one senior on the team in Lindsey (Wurm), our libero, we have a lot to build on. Our junior high program just finished up last night and all three teams played New Waverly and beat them. We are looking forward to some of those girls coming up next year.”
The Lady Cats will play Monday at C.E. King at 8 p.m. versus Boling. Livingston volleyball will play the game before them in that location at 6 p.m.
“I think with this group, they just needed the confidence. We said against New Waverly tonight that no matter what, we are locked into (the playoffs). We just need to be using these last district games to be getting ready for what we are really looking forward to, which is the playoffs. They obviously have grown in lots of ways. There's so much more that can come from them potential wise.”
