Community suffered a 2-0 loss to the Minooka Indians during the Regional Championship game on Oct. 26, a disappointing conclusion to the 2023 Iron volleyball season.

Community fell to the Indians 25-21 in two sets, finishing the year with an overall record of 25-12.

Head coach Ms. Christine Konopasek attributed the loss to a string of uncharacteristic errors.

“We gave up a lot of points by not executing our serves,” Konopasek said, highlighting the team’s season-high ten service errors.

“It was incredibly frustrating,” the coach said, “because if we’re playing a little bit better, and we’re finishing points in our favor instead of theirs, that game ends very differently.”

“To credit Minooka,” Konopasek said, “they did not make very many mistakes. They were more consistent than we were.

“When you’re rallying back and forth, if you can outlast somebody, you’re going to score points, and they did a very good job of that.”

While Community managed to contain Minooka’s offensive leader, Brooklynne Brass, other Indians like Makenzie Brass and Makenna Petrovic found success against the Ironmen.

Brooklynne Brass entered the game boasting a .380-hitting average on the season. Against the Iron, Brass hit .178.

Despite the service errors, Konopasek highlighted the contributions of juniors Sydney Janseen and Maia Olson in the Regional.

“Both of our middles hit really well and scored a handful of points offensively,” Konopasek said.

Sophomore Maggie Michaels had a solid defensive showing in the match, recording 14 digs in two sets.

The ultimate difference maker in the playoff contest, Konopasek said, was that Minooka’s play was “cleaner” than the Iron’s performance.

“I don’t think anybody thought that that’s how our season would end. Most people were anticipating that we would end up playing the first round of the Sectional against West.”

Community finished the season 9-1 in the Big 12 Conference, second behind Normal West Wildcats, who went 10-0 in Conference play.

Konopasek will look to players like Alana Whitfield, Olson, Michaels and Janssen to lead the Iron next season. 

The 2024 campaign will be Whitfield’s third on the varsity roster. While Whitfield showed a lot of player development this season, Konopasek hopes she not only “continues to improve her skill set, but also takes on some leadership” role next season.

Leadership, the coach said, is something the team will “need with all those seniors graduating.”

Janssen, the coach said, exceeded expectations for the Iron this season after last year’s knee surgery.

Janssen did a good job playing “out of position” for Community, Konopasek said, “especially coming off of a surgery.”

Konopasek also expects to see first year varsity players Olson and Michaels back next year.

At libero, “Maggie [Michaels] improved a lot over the course of the year,” Konopasek said. 

“Seven digs a set is incredibly high. If she would be able to compete at that level all the time, she would be a huge anchor for us defensively.”

Olson also can be a defense weapon for the Iron next season.

“Olson was really effective for us as a front row hitter and blocker,” the coach said.

The coach is confident in the roster’s veterans ahead of next season. 

“Assuming that everybody comes back,” Konopasek said, “we’ll have eight returners and four of them will have had significant playing time, so I feel pretty good.” 

There still are plenty of question marks for the coach heading into next season, beginning with the graduation of Olivia Price, a four-year member of the varsity team who will play volleyball next year for D-I Grand Canyon University.

As Community’s setter, Price, Konopasek said, did “a really good job of running the offense,” something “that’s not easily replaced.”

However, when Price was ill at the start of the season, “Sam Lakamp step[ped] in and she did a good job,” the coach said.

It will be challenging to replace hitters Erin Brandt and Addie Snoeyink.

The graduates, Konopasek said, “carried a lot of our offense,” their absences leave ““holes to fill.”

To fill these holes, the coach is looking to next season’s summer camp and tryouts.

“Hopefully, people want to compete for those spots [and can] also perform to the level that [the seniors] have,” Konopasek said.

Another uncertainty for the Community heading into the next year is the offensive strategy. 

With Price, Community ran a five-one offense.

“She was our only setter on the court all the time,” Konopasek said, “and it made it so that we had a lot of offensive options.”

Next season, Konopasek said, might see the Iron run a “six-two,” where the Iron “have two setters and then front row hitters.”

“That’s something that we really did not do hardly at all this year,” Konopasek said. “But honestly, that’ll depend on who shows up at tryouts” come next season.

An offensive change, Konopasek said, would give the team more “flexibility.”

“There are underclassmen who I think can fill spots,” the coach said. “They have a whole eight months to continue to improve their skills and grow and get better.”

“Then, we will have tryouts in August, where [next season] will be decided.”