Lady Vandals volleyball team heads to regionals

The Eureka Vandal varsity volleyball team, led by Head Coach Kati Benson and Assistant Coach Shara Talbot, is headed to the regional playoffs in Elko on Saturday, Nov. 2 as the number one seed in the 1A Eastern League. 

The Lady Vandals have a 24-4 overall record this season, and an even more impressive 12-0 record in the league. Coming off a seven-week winning streak, they have a bye on Saturday morning in Elko. Their first match will begin at 1:00 p.m. at the Elko High School gym. They will play the winner of the Lund vs. McDermitt match, which begins at 10:00 a.m. The winner of that game and the winner of the Owyhee vs. Carlin match will play for the 1A Eastern Regional Championship at 3:00 p.m. 

For the last three years, the Lady Vandals have clinched the 1A Eastern Regional title. They are hoping to bring it home for a fourth. Outside hitter Megan Johnson, libero Hannah Bliss and setter Natalie Gray are the three seniors on the team. They have been playing volleyball together since their early elementary school years. To watch them is to see what years of dedicated practice looks like. Each knows where the other is on the court, making them a powerhouse trio that is not easily defeated. Together, they have led their team through ups and downs, bumps and bruises, triumphant wins and heartbreaking losses, all paired with laughter and tears. They each have the heart of an athlete and in this, their fourth and final year of high school volleyball, the regional and state titles are in their direct line of sight. Johnson, Bliss and Gray played their last home volleyball game as Lady Vandals Oct. 18. It was Senior Night in their home gym, the Vandal Athletic Center, and they beat the Owyhee Braves in three sets, to the roar of their hometown crowd. After their victory, the three seniors were honored in a ceremony, where Benson delivered a heartfelt tribute, praising their achievements.