Lady Raiders’ senior night highlighted by return of teammate, old friend

Senior night 2015 was a night to remember for the Lady Raiders volleyball team. It was dedicated to five players, who had been on varsity for three years or more. As they were joined by their parents on the court, they were lead by Julia Pierson, the ultimate secret weapon.

“We build our team around family, God and composure,” Pierson said as she lead the team onto the court.

Pierson is a known commodity around school; she was a four year varsity starter and a three year captain.

“She brings something to the team that nobody else does,” head volleyball coach Lisa Curry said.  “She is a huge presence on and off the court.”

Pierson, injury-free through her high school career, suffered an MCL sprain and meniscal bruising at the start of district play, forcing her to sit on the sidelines for her senior year.

“I’ve been playing for four years and I’ve never been badly injured, so this was new territory to me,” Pierson said.

The seniors prepared for weeks leading up to this game as it became more clear it would all come down to the night of Oct. 20.

“They have and will continue to be leaders on and off the court,” Curry said. “All five seniors have put in a lot of hard work and dedication for the Lady Raider volleyball program and it is greatly appreciated. They were great role models for the underclassmen. They all have bright futures ahead of them and I look forward to hearing great things from them as the years pass.”

The game to play also held the highest of stakes. The Lady Raiders were set to compete against Wylie High’s Lady Pirates. Their last meeting, Oct. 2, ended in a loss as the Lady Pirates swept them. In an intensely competitive District 10-5A, the two teams met to lock up the final playoff spot.

Pierson warmed up with the team, like every other game. However, there was a big difference: Pierson was in her uniform. She was playing the game.

“Wylie didn’t know she was playing,” said senior Lucy Fancher. “We were ecstatic when she walked onto the court in uniform. The entire gym was in shock.”

Pierson started a game for the first time in over a month.

“It was great to have her back last night,” Curry said. “She brought the excitement and skills that were needed in order to get the win.”

The Lady Raiders definitely benefited from Pierson’s sudden return, dominating the first set against Wylie in a best-of-five match. The match was close as the Lady Pirates battled back and won the second set, 25-22.

“I believe everyone on the team had confidence on the court tonight,” said freshman varsity member, Destini Cole. “We played so well and we played as a team.”

Emotions overflowed onto the court. Wylie player, senior, Valerie Vermillion, along with her coach, both received yellow cards.

“My job as a court captain is to talk to the refs and I talked to the line judge for too long, and it was seen as a delay of game,” Vermillion said.

Yellow cards are an uncommon occurrence in volleyball, further stating how emotionally intense this deciding match was.

“That was intense,” said junior Chris Castro. “We’ve never seen anything like it in a volleyball game.”

The girls returned to battle on the court against Wylie, and claimed the third set with a close score of 25-22. As they began the potentially decisive fourth set, the fans amped up the volume.

“The fourth set was electric,” junior Everett Janway said. “Our girls and Wylie’s girls are closely matched. We were on our feet and on the edge of our seats for the duration of the game.”

The Lady Raiders played and prevailed, 26-24 in the fourth set to claim a 3-1 match victory against Wylie. This victory also springboarded them into playoffs.

“The win tonight felt so good,” freshman varsity defensive specialist Haley Shewmake said. “We came out ready to play and I don’t think Wylie was ready.”

The girls shook hands with Wylie and ran into the center of the court, converging onto Pierson.

“All night during the huddle, I let the girls know that we all have a job to do. Not one person’s job is more important than the other’s,” Curry said. “They took it upon themselves and played like a team the whole night. That is why we stand here today, preparing for playoffs.”

After the game, the seniors all came together one last time in the auxiliary gym as the varsity team, along with coaches and parents, shared stories in fellowship.

“I was able to pick the greatest game to return on the court during,” Pierson said. “The night before the game we all prayed in unison and carried our faith and composure with us. I’m so happy to have played with such a great group of girls this year. Senior night was definitely a night to remember.”

The Lady Raiders, now in playoffs, face off against Frisco, ranked number four in the area, next Tuesday, Nov. 3, at Allen High School.