Bump, set, spike! The volleyball rally commences, and the seniors make amazing plays once again. The final season is in motion, and seniors Molly Renninger, Patience Oliveira, and Ashby Brummer give their last hurrahs for their high school volleyball careers.
Molly Renninger, playing on the team since her freshman year as an outside hitter and defensive specialist, has had a great start to the season! With a career high of 23 digs against Lower Dauphin, Renninger shows up and proves why she starts for the Thundering Herd. When asked about the previous season, she sums it up as, “Last season provided some challenges in terms of winning games. However, we worked through it by continuing to work together and giv[ing] it our all.” Renninger’s personal favorite part of being on the volleyball team is the high energy during games that allows her to have fun even in the midst of a neck-and-neck game.
Patience Oliveira has also been playing for the Thundering Herd since her freshman year. Oliveira is a defensive specialist, playing only the back row and making clutch digs. “You can’t be a part of a team if you’re only focused on yourself […] being an only child taught me that,” says Oliveira on how sports have impacted her as a person. Though she must cheer on the team and not be selfish, there are times where she has to look after herself. Past injuries kept her off the court for some time, but that time away has only made her stronger mentally and made her a level head that everyone can rely on during their worst days. Her encouraging and supportive personality make her a great mentor for the underclassmen on the team.
With four years of school volleyball flying by, Ashby Brummer engages in her last season with the Herd. As starting middle, Brummer shuts down opposing hitters with overwhelming blocks and spectacular hits left and right. Of course, there’s no ‘I’ in team, and she is always more than happy to become friends with her surrounding teammates. Brummer shares, “The team has some of my best friends, and I love playing with them because of the team chemistry.” She values the team as a whole, even when times are rough. “Underperforming on the court […] when you spend so much time practicing and working on your skills,” makes it especially difficult to lose, Brummer remarks. To counteract the gnarly parts of the sport, she commits to having a good work ethic and positive mindset.
Even as the last season goes on, the seniors continue to positively impact those around them. “My favorite part about playing with the seniors is that they have positive energy, and they motivate me to elevate my level of play when I am playing with them,” says Josephine Birbeck, sophomore setter and teammate. Coach Elizabeth Young, also known as Shorty to the players, describes the seniors as “hard-working individuals who can get the job done!”
Come support the Herd and catch the seniors one last time on Thursday, October 17th at Waynesboro Area Senior High School!
