The Parkland High School girls volleyball team finished the 2024 season without any major championships for the first time in 11 years, but the season as a whole was still a success.

“We played as well as we could,” said Trojan head coach Mike Krause. “We grew over the course of the season. We had played a strong schedule. Each loss was to a state ranked team.

“We finished at 17-8 overall. The eight losses we had were to teams that finished in the top seven in 3A and 4A in Pennsylvania. The team we lost to in the state quarterfinals played in the state championship. From where we started to where we finished showed tremendous growth and competitive drive over the course of the season.”

The district championship match was an exciting one for the program, and even though Parkland came out on the losing end of a district title for the first time in over 10 seasons, it was still a successful match in the eyes of Krause.

“It showed that this team was competitive with everyone on the schedule,” Krause said. “The district final went five sets with the fifth set 17-15. We scored enough points to win the district title, but Liberty scored two more than us.

“The team was very proud of how far they went and was very proud in the growth we had as a team in competition. We were physically undersized in every match, but we were not undersized in our hearts to compete to the best of our ability representing Parkland School District with pride and dignity.”

So, what was a favorite match or memory from the season?

“I think the district championship was one of our most exciting matches of the year,” said Krause. “The first set we had the ball at 23-24 and unfortunately could not capitalize on it. The second set we were at 23-24 and again came up a little short. The third set we pulled out 26-24. The fourth set, we did not hold back, we won 25-19.

“The chemistry of this group was unwavering. They fought hard and never let up. Going into the fifth set, this team galvanized to fight as hard as they could. In the fifth set, we had the ball with a chance to finish the match at 14-13. Unfortunately, we had a call not go in our favor. We battled and came up just short in the fifth set 17-15. Although overall we outscored Liberty by two points, they won the most sets 3-2. The energy the team brought, the determination to never relent and the excitement this team experienced in their goal to compete for a District title, that is a memory that will be etched in my mind forever of this outstanding group of young ladies.”

Krause is already excited to begin another season at the helm in 2025.

“We have a hardworking and determined group of underclassmen,” Krause said. “Our postseason interviews provided great insight into what the underclassmen want to accomplish next year. They want to get into the gym. They want to get into the weight room, and they have the desire to improve on their individual skills to make a collective contribution to the group.”

Just like every year, the Trojans graduate a talented class of seniors, including Lillian Andersen, Legenda Avdijaj, Ava Brunnabend, Isabelle Fekula, Sarah Furey and Danielle Gordon.

“This senior class led the younger players in each facet of the game,” said Krause. “They came in the gym every day to improve their skills, their physical strength and the tactical components of each opponent. They led by example. They recognized each player as a respected team member regardless of their year in school. Every member of the team was valued.

“There were times we had to incorporate younger players into the game plan. The seniors set the tone that everyone supports each other whether they are on the court or the bench. The seniors showed the younger players how to compete, how to prepare and how to make adjustments against their competitors. This senior class deserves a lot of credit for guiding this team through the challenges we faced over the course of the season.”