Belief leads Delta volleyball to its 1st sectional championship since 2013
NEW CASTLE, Ind. — Josh Collins remembers, about two weeks into the season, telling Delta's girls volleyball team they were good enough to win a sectional championship.
The Eagles, at least in Collins' eyes, didn't quite believe in him. At least not at the time. For the past few seasons, Delta has struggled. None of the players on the current roster were in high school the last time it had a winning record in volleyball.
But, over time, the girls started to believe the interim head coach. He pushed them in practice, and they slowly gained confidence. On Saturday in New Castle, that confidence showed. The Eagles swept Jay County 3-0 (27-25, 26-24, 25-19) to win the program's first sectional championship since 2013.
"I've been trying to preach all year to them is it's up to us," Collins said. "If we want to win, we just gotta go out there and take it. They work too hard every day for them not to be resilient and not to be able to celebrate in these moments."
If you need proof of the Eagles' resiliency, just look at the path they took to win their first sectional title in nearly a decade.
In the first round, Delta fought off New Castle — the same team which beat it in five sets just over a week before — 3-2. In the semifinals, they dropped the first set to Frankton before winning the next three and securing their spot in the championship. Even in the championship, Delta went to extra points against a relentless Jay County squad in each of the first two sets, rallying from an 18-11 deficit in the second.
"It shows us that anything is possible," senior outside hitter/defensive specialist Camaya Murry said. "No matter how down we are, we can always bounce back really quick. That's what our focus was this summer is just being able to bounce back."
The Eagles did just that. Murry led the way with 14 kills alongside fellow senior middle hitter Kendra Keesling, who finished with 11. Junior middle hitter Olivia Morris and sophomore setter Addie Phillippe each had three blocks. Senior defensive specialist Mallory Robbins and Murry led the way defensively with 15 digs apiece while Phillippe had 40 assists.
Throughout the season, Collins said he switched up the lineup. Former starters began coming off the bench and vice versa. No matter which spot a player was in, they all responded to their new roles and Delta is having its best season in recent memory because of it.
"They're a bunch of kids that are here for each other," Collins said. "... It says a lot about them."
It's hard to turn a team back into a winning program. For years, Murry and Keesling said they would hear people talk about Delta and how it's no longer a "volleyball powerhouse." But they also saw what they had in their own gym and, as seniors, were as motivated as ever to leave behind their own legacy this season.
"We wanted it more than anything, honestly," Keesling said. "We had so much to prove and we had so many people that have really pushed us to want to prove them wrong."
They did just that.
Now, Delta will head into the Norwell regional next weekend where they will be the heavy underdog in a loaded field which features three of the top-four Class 3A teams in the state. Delta (17-9) will play No. 4 Bellmont (27-6) in the second semifinal, the winner will get either No. 3 Angola (31-0) or No. 2 Benton Central (30-3) in the regional championship.
Despite winning the sectional, Keesling said Delta knows it didn't play its best volleyball Saturday night. She's also confident the Eagles aren't proving the doubters done just yet.
"We definitely have resilience but we also know that those first few sets were not even close to our best," Keesling said. "Yes, it means something to win sectionals, but when we go further in regionals, how we played tonight isn't going to work."
Belief is a powerful thing. Collins said a mentor of his once told him "you have to learn how to win." After years of losing, Delta is learning how to win again.
Notice how Keesling didn't say if they were going to advance in the regional, she said when they advance in the regional. While the Eagles might not have believed in Collins when he said they had what it took to win a sectional earlier in the season, there was definitely belief inside New Castle's gym as they held up the sectional championship trophy.
"I think so," Collins said, grinning as he glanced at the dozens of smiling faces spread across the court after the match. "... I think they're starting to believe."
Robby General covers Ball State and East Central Indiana high school sports for The Star Press. Contact him via email at rgeneral@gannett.com or on Twitter @rgeneraljr.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: IHSAA volleyball: Delta beats Jay County for sectional title win
