A difficult season for Republic’s volleyball program came to an end with a district quarterfinal loss to Nixa, 25-8, 25-7. The Lady Tigers fell behind early against the Eagles’ aggressive attack and never found their bearings.
Nixa’s Ciera Reyes led both teams with seven kills, and Kenzie Hines and Lauren Weber added five each.
Coach Piper Wright says the season-ending loss doesn’t define the Lady Tigers as a team, and the losing season doesn’t define them as people.
“In 11 years of coaching, this has been one of my favorite groups, just because they really get along,” Wright says. “They love each other, and they’re just good kids, and as much as I love to win and I want us to be successful on the court, it’s very important to me that we’re developing good people.”