The 2018 volleyball season ended abruptly for the Kennesaw State University (KSU) women’s volleyball team when they lost in the tournament championship match to Florida Gulf Coast (FGCU) on KSU’s home court. However, the 2019 season ended with satisfaction, joy and redemption when the roles were reversed and the Owls beat FGCU on their home court.
How often do you get a chance to beat the team that defeated you, and celebrate on their home court just like they did to you one year earlier? I sat down with two of the remarkable volleyball players from the team, Lauren Chastang and Karlee Groover to discuss failure, triumph and everything in between that led to the team’s redemption.
Let’s revisit the 2018 championship match. You guys lose that match after coming in defending A-SUN conference champions, having a 6 and 14 game winning streak as well. There’s no back to back, no NCAA berth and Florida Gulf Coast is celebrating in your arena. What were your feelings walking off that court and seeing them celebrate?
Groover: Just seeing them celebrate on our homecourt was just so depressing. We fought hard and gave it our all. It is just so sad when you just give it your all and you don’t come up with what you worked seven months for. It’s not fun to watch, at all.
Chastang: What hurts the most in those situations is when you come up short and you’re giving every ounce of you and you’re seeing them bounce around our court, celebrating a championship. It stings a little more. We held on to that sting heading into next season. The fight was there. The want was there, but we came up short against a good team and that’s why it hurt so bad.
As you head into the 2018 offseason, what did you both work on individually to better your games preparing for the 2019 campaign?
Groover: Worked on everything. I worked on my serve, getting my body right and my want to be a player to contribute points as a libero. Getting our minds right is important as well.
Chastang: I worked on being more consistent. I want to continue to grow to be the best version of being a leader, playmaker and having a very high volleyball IQ. Karlee has a very high IQ. She just knows where the ball is always going to be.
It’s October 13, 2019, the first time you’re playing FGCU since the championship loss. What is your mindset coming into that game?
Groover: It’s a reminder that they beat us last year because they walked around like that (all of us laughed). I wanted to beat the heck out of them.
Chastang: Treat every game as another game. Too much pressure will send an athlete over the edge to where they cannot perform. However, being too calm, too cool and collected, you will not perform where you’re needed. Finding that medium was tough against this team because you want so bad to take away what they took from you. I remembered Coach saying we will see them again and he promised we should match up at the end of the year.
You had two seniors on the team in Lexi Broadwater and Madeline Johnson. Can you talk about the loss of those two seniors?
Groover: Lexi is a complete stud, so it is sad losing her on the team. Johnny was supportive of all of us and she is the one who will point out what you are doing wrong and hold you accountable. It was cool to experience their personalities on and off the court.
Chastang: If you don’t understand volleyball, it’s like we’re losing our quarterback. Lexi is a stud, gameplayer, quick, athletic and just knew how to play the game of volleyball. Johnny, holds you accountable, had a strong opinion, was a positive presence and leader on the team.
Round 3 of FGCU vs the Owls to determine the tournament Champion, was a hard-fought contest, but you guys pulled it out as you celebrated on the FGCU home-court, led by your amazing coach Keith Schunzel. Talk about his impact on you two particularly?
Groover: I love him. There is not a player or person I have been around that has a bad word to say about him. He is grateful and reminds you how grateful we should be to play the sport we love. He instills trust in us, and loves us like we’re his own. I look at him as a role model.
Chastang: Talk about a coach, man and father who craves to grow every single day. He is never complacent with himself. He takes it upon himself to make it the best experience for his players. He’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever played for. I respect the heck out of him. I would run through a wall for him. I love volleyball more than I ever could and he is the reason why I feel that way. He’s a great man and full of character.