Key West volleyball closed out a strong season on Oct. 22 with a loss to the Bears of Mater Lakes in the FHSAA 4A Region 4 quarterfinals. Though the outcome was not what the team hoped for, head coach Kim Butler had nothing but praise for her squad, who earned their spot in the playoff bracket with a strong season full of high-caliber opponents.
“They really showed up and played hard,” said Butler of the Lady Conchs’ play last week. “I was so proud of how they bounced back from the district finals. They battled, showed that they belonged there and can play some really nice volleyball, and the entire team played well.”
While the team played some of its best volleyball of the season, the opponents were formidable. The Bears’ team average serve percentage was over 97%, and the Mater lineup included a pair of hitters who amassed 27 kills between them.
But Key West had some weapons of their own, which they unleashed against the Bears.
“Gabby Garcia had her best match of the season,” said Butler. Garcia had nine kills, three digs and a block and was credited with phenomenal passing in her final match as a Conch. The senior captain ended her prep volleyball career on a high note, as did teammates Tess Wright, Audrey Smith and Adriana Heinrichs, who had four kills apiece. Heinrichs also added a dozen digs to her stats. Journey Lamb amassed 15 digs while Molly McKnight registered 10 assists and eight digs. Dianeza Gonzalez was credited with seven digs.
Key West was the only Monroe County team to advance to regionals this season. Their 16-12 record includes many tournament matches against some of the best competition in the state.
