Hawk’s Volleyball Complete’s Solid Season. Way to Go Lake!

Canyon Lake’s Volleyball was all over the court in a 3-2 loss to Cuero but in the end that loss showed what will be in store when reinforcements arrive next year.

The ReSporter was able to coax some thoughts from Head Coach Daniella Villarreal and how this season was another building block for better seasons in the future.

“I am incredibly proud of the girls’ fight, resilience, and ability to overcome the challenges we faced throughout the season,” Coach Villarreal started.”Despite having four athletes injured at one point during the second round of district play, the girls stayed committed to our goals. They fought their way into the playoffs in an extremely competitive district and advanced to the third round, finishing as Regional Semifinalists.”

The Lake started in a hole against the Gobblers but then turned things around for a chance to advance when they tied this match up at 2 sets a piece.

“We suffered a fifth injury during the second set of our playoff match against Cuero,” Coach V started. “But the girls still found a way to battle back, win two sets, and push the match to five. We nearly completed a reverse sweep, with freshman Catherine Montoya stepping into a big role when her number was called!”

Has The ReSporter mentioned depth yet for what seems to be a theme when next year arrives.

Coach expounded, “I don’t think many teams could have accomplished what this group did while facing that many injuries and such tough competition. What stands out most is that the girls never gave up on each other. They continued to show up, stay positive, compete, and find ways to be successful despite the adversity. I feel incredibly grateful and blessed to coach this group and witness their strength, growth, and determination throughout the season.”

When asked to share thoughts on this campaigns four Seniors, “We will greatly miss our seniors: Izzy (Fory), Gabby (Fory), Preslie (Owens), and Paisleigh (Fahrney). Izzy and Gabby were part of my first freshman class at Canyon Lake, and I have had the privilege of coaching them for all four years. I am incredibly proud of how much they have grown as players and leaders. They were the glue of our program, consistently setting the standard for work ethic, discipline, and commitment. Their example helped establish a culture that carried throughout the program.”

“Izzy was an incredible defensive presence, doing whatever it took to keep the ball off the floor and frustrating opponents with her relentless effort. Gabby was a huge presence on the court and stepped into whatever role the team needed, contributing both at the net and in the back row. Both had such tremendous growth because of how coachable they were and willing to do whatever it took to be successful!”

“Preslie and Paisleigh were wonderful additions to this senior class. Preslie brought a fiery, competitive mindset that pushed those around her to be better. Although a career ending injury kept her from competing on the court, she continued to make a tremendous impact on our team. Her teammates constantly reminded each other to “do it for Doggie,” and she became another coach on the sideline, helping our hitters find ways to score and Paisleigh brought an incredible work ethic and positive attitude that encouraged everyone around her to be their best. Having both Paisleigh and Izzy in our back row was such an advantage because of their willingness to chase down every ball and extend rallies.”

Coach finished, “I am so proud of all four of these young women. They have left a lasting impact on our program, and I cannot wait to see all the great things they accomplish in the future!”

When thinking about the future…Coach Villarreal surmised, “The future is incredibly bright! We had five freshmen on our playoff roster this season, and gaining that experience in such a competitive environment will be valuable moving forward. My hope is that they continue the legacy and standards established by our senior class while continuing to dream bigger and set even higher goals for Canyon Lake volleyball. We want to keep building on what this group accomplished and continue raising the standard for our program.”

“Having depth is extremely important, especially when you face the kind of adversity we experienced this season. Our girls did an outstanding job stepping up when their names were called and embracing bigger responsibilities. I always tell them that you never know what can happen throughout a season, so you have to keep working hard, stay prepared, and trust that good things will eventually happen.”

Coach ended on how The Lake’s relentless drive led to a deep post-season, “Each week, we challenged ourselves to get “2x better” by identifying two specific areas we wanted to improve as a team. The girls really embraced that mindset and continued to show major growth each week. Their willingness to improve, trust one another, and embrace new roles was a huge part of our success.”

Now next year will be here before you realize so watching how this young team continues to hone their craft can set more goals to conquer and start a new chapter to fulfill their legacy.

Congrats and Way to GO LAKE!