- April 22, 2024
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DR. PHILLIPS — It may seem odd, at first, but veteran coach Lindsey Carter considers a tough loss against Lake Nona to be a highlight of the season for her Dr. Phillips varsity volleyball team.
“We fought so hard,” Carter said. “Even though it was a loss, it was actually a growing experience for us. That was like the turn of our season.”
The Panthers have played a tough schedule, facing strong programs such as Lake Nona, Bishop Moore, Olympia and West Orange. Although the team’s record is not necessarily going to turn heads — the Panthers are 9-12— the staff and players feel they have grown stronger in the process.
“A lot of coaches would be upset with the record, but I’m actually not upset with the record, because I feel as if we’re growing as a team, and learning each other,” Carter said. “And the most important part of the season is the post-season, the playoffs, so it’s preparing us and making us much more strong as a team.”
Carter intentionally schedules challenging teams and said easy wins won’t help Dr. Phillips in the postseason or upcoming district tournament, which takes place later this month. This year, Dr. Phillips is in a district with Olympia, Freedom, Cypress Creek and Oak Ridge. The Panthers went 2-2 in district play, defeating Oak Ridge and Freedom while falling to Olympia and Cypress Creek. Accordingly, they will be the third seed and will play in a district semifinal match against Cypress Creek 5:30 p.m. Oct. 20 at Olympia.
The team will use its losses to Olympia and Cypress Creek as fuel and hopes to exact some revenge — starting with the Bears, who defeat Dr. Phillips 3-2 during the regular season.
“It’s on this game,” Tiane Kong, a senior right side, said. “We’re all going to be focused. We don’t want that again.”
Dr. Phillips also is creating a foundation this year for future years — both in playing and attitude. Some players recognize a unity they haven’t seen in other club and high-school teams.
“I just hope to carry out what the seniors have brought to the team,” Morgan Grillier, a sophomore outside hitter, said. “They’ve brought a lot of positive energy and teaching us as younger players how to react in game situations.”
Five of the seven seniors are hitters — so Dr. Phillips will have a large hole to fill. But there are many freshmen already seeing time on the court, as well as many freshman on the JV team.
Carter has confidence in the younger players and thinks the current freshman class is the strongest she has seen in several years.
For now, though, the Panthers are eager to finish strong with regular season matches remaining against Winter Park (Oct. 8), Wekiva (Oct. 13) and West Orange (Oct. 15) before they get their shot at Cypress Creek in the district tournament.
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Senior Kirsten Rego played on the varsity team throughout her high-school career. She has been playing volleyball since she was 7, through the Orlando Volleyball Academy. Rego is not playing club volleyball this year, and she will not compete in college, so this season finishes her career.
“It’s so bittersweet,” Rego said.
Rego is enjoying this season, not based on the record of the team (9-12), necessarily, but rather the closeness of the girls. She is one of three team captains, so she often will rally the team together and encourage them to work hard. She sends out encouraging text messages and has hosted a team sleepover.
“I actually have a really great group of seniors — there’s seven of us — and they’re all my best friends.” she said. “That just makes the season so much better.”
Her mother, April Ball, is the boy’s varsity coach at Dr. Phillips and also was Rego’s first volleyball coach. Rego thinks her mother is good at not trying to coach her too much from the sidelines and is a great supporter for the rest of her team.
Rego also has had to play her career while managing Type 1 Diabetes, which she was diagnosed with when she was 10.
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Contact Jennifer Nesslar at [email protected].
