The Pleasant Valley volleyball team had a number of hard-fought wins this season along with a few heart-shattering losses. They had a successful 28-5 season that concluded with the upsetting loss against the Urbandale J-Hawks in the regional final. The 8th ranked Spartans faced 14th ranked Urbandale this past Monday. The game went a full five matches with Urbandale coming out on top, leaving some Spartan players in tears. But the outcome of the game was not a reflection of the grit the Spartans played with. From beginning to end, the Spartans put up a fight and this is what made the team stand out.
“We had a good mix of experience and younger girls that were eager to play,” said senior Kelsey Ruff. Ruff enjoyed that there was no drama amongst the athletes on the team because in high school athletics, that is rare. Senior, Elissa Moylan, will also remember the inclusiveness of the team and how great of friends they all were.Their love for the game was something that could not be taught. Brooke Harris, also a senior, added “I think there was a variety of grade levels which created teaching moments for all levels of the team and really helped us understand each other better and work well together.” All three girls believed that for those reasons, their 2017 team was special.
Special is a great way to describe the lady Spartans. Moylan was named Mississippi Athletic Conference player of the year with a high of 323 kills and .322 hitting efficiency. Since 2012, she has been the third Spartan to have received the title and it was a well deserved honor. Harris, a setter, was named 1st team all conference, leading the MAC with an average of 9.19 assists per set. Ruff was also named 1st team all conference, digging almost three balls per set. Along with PV’s outstanding players is their coach Amber Hall, who earned the title of coach of the year for the conference. Under Hall, the young Spartan team showed significant improvement and accomplished one of their major goals, winning the MAC title.
Although the work they have done on the court is unforgettable, some of the best memories they’ve made have happened off the court. To celebrate their victories, a dinner at Culver’s was a must. The team bonded over fast food and ice cream creating moments that will always be remembered.
Moylan and Ruff have the opportunity to play with each other two more times before moving on to college. Both girls were invited to be a part of the Iowa Senior All-Star team which is composed of the top 32 volleyball players in the state. The talent will be divided into multiple teams which then will compete against one another for the ultimate showdown on November 18th. Then, on November 20th, the top athletes within the Quad Cities will be competing against one another in an Illinois vs. Iowa competition. Yet again, Ruff and Moylan were selected but this time joined by their teammate Harris.
For Ruff, Harris, and Moylan, their time as Spartan volleyball players has expired; however, all three will continue to play at the collegiate level. Ruff, a libero, will be attending Augustana University in Sioux Falls. Next fall, Moylan will call Southeast Missouri State home while Harris attends the College of Charleston in South Carolina to play sand volleyball. All three of these athletes have left their imprints, not only on the volleyball team but also the school. A big thank you, from your fellow Spartans, for all of your contributions.
