Wins over this past season have added up to 24 as West’s varsity volleyball team went undefeated for the regular season and ranked first in the Western North Carolina Athletic Conference. The team’s success has now ranked them among the best in the nation.

The Lady Falcons crushed their regular season opponents with a  24-0 record, ending with an 3-0 win over county rival East Henderson. The team recently learned they are ranked at 25 in USA TODAY’s Super 25 poll of the best women’s high school volleyball teams in the nation.

“It’s huge and all of us are super ecstatic about it,”  sophomore Casey Brown said. “This is a huge thing for us. We’re ranked number two in state, but 25th in the country out of every team and every state. Everyone is so excited. Our practice play has definitely picked up, and everyone is working hard. We have an extra motivation to get to state now.”

Assistant Coach Cathy Corliss said the national ranking is a first for West.

“It’s the first time it’s ever happened,” Corliss said. “I talked to Jan Stanley, who was the head coach here for years, and she’s not had a team do that yet.”

Stanley’s daughter, Tiffany Lowrance, is the team’s current head coach.

The team and the coaches are proud of the team’s accomplishments.

“We are very proud of the way the girls have played this year,” Corliss said. “They work very hard in practice and have been committing themselves. All of the girls, whether they be seniors, juniors or sophomores are very committed. Their work ethic, their desire, their passion for the game has supported their ability to be able to play at such a high level. For us to be 24-0 just speaks to the players we have.”

By: Bartel Van Oostendorp