Schulenburg Seniors Key in Lady Horns’ Run to the State Volleyball Tournament

Kieryn Adams

Schulenburg volleyball is at their second state tournament in a row and it’s taken more than just one player to accomplish this feat. The Lady Horns’ senior leadership has helped punch them a ticket to Garland once again and it’s only right for all the seniors to be recognized. These seniors are Kieryn Adams, Keaton Walker, Brooke Redding, Jessalyn Gipson, and Meredith Magliolo.

“Getting the opportunity to make a return trip to Garland is something this group has talked about all season,” said Schulenburg head coach Donald Zapalac. “They have set the bar high and are more than determined to bring home a state championship. Their motivation and hard work have been the foundation of our success this year.” These seniors’ execution and taking command of the team have made them our choice for this edition’s Athlete of the Week.

Answer: “My mindset is to get every ball and put it up in a good spot for our setter to get to and run a fast offense. My motto is to not let the ball hit the floor.”

Question: What are your goals after high school?

Answer: “I’d like to continue playing volleyball. It’s undecided where yet, but that’s the goal.”

Question: What’s your favorite song?

Answer: “A favorite pregame song, we listen to it before every game, is ‘Is You Ready’”

Keaton Walker

Question: What’s your best attribute when it comes to volleyball?

Answer: “Honestly, I really don’t know. I just try to get aces down with my serve and I try to have the best servereceive I can, have the best defense I can, work with my team, and keep everybody up on energy.”

Question: Where’s a place you go to for food?

Answer: “We don’t really have anything in Schulenburg, but I know sometimes if we have a break during practice and before games, we like to go to Lucy’s. It’s definitely a treat. It’s different than Whataburger.”

Question: Who’s an athlete you look up to?

Answer: “Honestly, my teammates. I don’t really look up to any college athletes. I don’t watch much college sports, but I look up to my teammates because they work hard and they want to be successful. That moves me to be successful also.”

Brooke Redding

Question: What would you say is the most rewarding part about being a senior on the team?

Answer: “Having us together. Just being together with my other seniors and going on this journey with them.”

Question: Who’s your favorite sports team and why?

Answer: “I don’t watch a whole lot of sports, but if I had to pick one, it’d definitely be Texas volleyball. They’re pretty good.”

Question: Where’s a place you haven’t been that you’d like to visit?

Answer: “Definitely Montana with all the mountain views.”

Jessalyn Gipson

Question: When did you start playing volleyball?

Answer: “My seventh grade year in junior high.”

Question: What’s one movie that you’ve watched the most?

Answer: “Any Madea movie.”

Question: What do you like the most about the Dallas area (site of the state tournament)?

Answer: “There’s a lot to see. You don’t know what to expect. You see something different and it’s exciting.”

Meredith Magliolo

Question: What’s the hardest part about being a middle blocker?

Answer: “Running across the net to get block touches on every single ball is definitely really tiring. Then having to go and transition hit can also be really hard. But it’s definitely rewarding when you get those big blocks or those big kills.”

Question: What do you usually eat before a game?

Answer: “I don’t really eat a whole lot most of the time because it makes my stomach hurt and I get really nervous, but before most of the games, especially at home, we’d always go to the Texan and get drinks. I like their strawberry lemonade.”

There’s a saying that it takes more than one player for a team to be successful, and these seniors have been a prime example of that with this Lady Horn volleyball team.