The Strasburg Tigers’ historic volleyball season came to an end Thursday afternoon, as they were swept 3-0 by the Fort Loramie Redskins in the Division VII state semifinals. Despite the loss, the Tigers’ journey to the state final four marked a milestone, as it was the program’s first trip to the state tournament.
The Tigers struggled to keep pace with Fort Loramie’s quick offensive style, dropping the sets 25-17, 25-13, and 25-14. Senior standout Riley Thomas led Strasburg with 11 kills, hitting .182 on 33 attempts, while Ally Miller contributed five kills and five digs.
Strasburg Head Coach Kaylyn Archer acknowledged the difficulty in competing against a team as fast and large as Fort Loramie, noting that her players weren’t accustomed to the pace.
“Loramie’s quick offense was something we haven’t faced before. They’re a big, fast team, and it was tough for us to keep up,” Archer said. “But our girls fought hard until the end.”
Thomas echoed her coach’s sentiments, adding that the team poured everything into the match and the season.
“We worked so hard to get here. It’s tough to lose, but I’m so proud of everything we accomplished,” she said.
The Tigers will graduate several key seniors, including Thomas, who was integral to the team’s success this season. Coach Archer highlighted the impact of the senior class, which has been with the team since their sophomore year, calling them “irreplaceable.”
With a goal of preparing for next season, Archer noted that the team will focus on building a faster offense and training younger players to fill the gaps left by departing seniors. “We’re going to work on speed and preparing our younger players to compete at this level,” Archer said.
