Cherished senior class leaves Smith proud after 21 victories

Six members of  the Vandalia High School volleyball came crashing through a banner reading “Still daddy’s little girls” with glow sticks wrapped around their necks, arms and legs and onto the home court for their final regular-season match last Thursday.

Emotions ran high throughout the evening for players, parents and fans as the Vandals fought to the wire in a thrilling 25-19, 27-25 loss to Pana.

Coach Allison Smith had nothing but praise for the girls following the match.

“The senior class means probably more than I could ever express in words,” she said. “I’ve had them for a long period of time, and they’re a great bunch, personality-wise and as individual people.

“They each bring their own piece to the game, whether it’s doing the little things quietly, being loud and vocal or doing their own role individually,” Smith said. “They mean a lot to me.

“You can’t express what each one of these kids means.”

Having won at least 20 games in each of their four seasons with the Vandals, Holly Goldsmith, Taylor Parrish, Amy Walton, Whitney Schaal, Megan Shreve and Ellie Ehrat are writing their own record book, according to Smith.

The group hopes it adds the school’s first regional title in 25 years to that book before it closes on  their careers. Unfortunately, that book will not include a 2010 South Central Conference championship.

“They are writing their own thing, and I wish tonight that they could have gotten the conference championship,” Smith said.

Against Pana, each senior contributed in some way, though.

Goldsmith led the team with nine kills and two blocks, including the kill that prevented the Panthers from taking a three-point lead late in the second set.

Parrish played well all over the court, recording three assists, three service aces, two digs and a kill, which came after a Vandalia timeout in the second set.

Walton and Schaal were also strong all around the court, with Walton recording three digs, an assist and a kill, and Schaal recording four digs, two service aces and a kill.

Role players Shreve and Ehrat recorded an assist and a dig, respectively. But their small contributions have been something Smith has cherished.

“Ellie and Megan are playing roles this year, and for those kids to do them and be humble about it, it means a lot,” she said.