Senior outside hitter and defensive specialist Ella Leever has helped the ninth-ranked Ankeny Christian Academy volleyball team to a 25-13 record. The Eagles posted a 25-14, 25-9, 25-19 victory over Moravia on Thursday to win the Bluegrass Conference championship at Seymour.
Leever leads the Eagles with 215 kills and 277 digs. She has also contributed 28 aces.
Here is some inside info on Leever:
Your team got off to a 1-6 start and was still just 9-11 midway through the season before you reeled off an 11-match winning streak from Sept. 27 to Oct. 6. Did it just take awhile for this team to come together?
Yes, I think a good portion of the reason it might have taken a couple games to get into a rhythm was because we haven’t played with each other, and we were unsure of how we would play together. Another reason I think we had a rough start was because we kept a hard schedule, and we were competing against (large-school) teams even though they were losses. The competition helped us come together faster and since the back half of the season has come, we are united as one team.
What has been the highlight of the season thus far?
I think a big highlight was winning the Dunkerton tournament (on Sept. 27) and winning against teams ranked higher than us or from larger schools.
Your program is the three-time defending Class 1A state champions, but you obviously graduated a lot of great players from those teams last spring. Do you and your teammates feel any pressure to win another title, or are you treating this like it’s a new team that wants to accomplish its own goals?
It has been a challenge to come behind that great team from last year, but as we continue as of right now I don’t feel any pressure. Even though it might have taken us awhile to come together and play, our goal is to play to the best of our ability and eventually make it back to state.
You saw some action as a defensive specialist a year ago, but have now become the team’s top hitter as a senior. Was that a pretty easy transition for you?
I don’t think it was a big transition for me because I had a lot of JV games I would play in last year and practiced with varsity, and I was looking for a spot that I could fit in anywhere.
Have you tried to be a leader for the team, and if so, how?
Our theme this year for volleyball is unity. So as a senior on the team, I was trying to be the best I could off the court and get us all together to have fun and make memories. So as a team we have had many team-bonding activities.
Your team will host Melcher-Dallas (6-10) in the opening round of a regional tournament on Monday. You just defeated the Saints on Tuesday in the conference tournament. Does that win give you confidence that the outcome will be the same?
I think the outcome will be close to the same. On Monday, we plan to come out hot and make sure we can send a message to everyone else we play in the near future.
Your team could potentially face Southeast Warren (36-6) in the regional semifinal on Oct. 27. Do you know much about the Warhawks?
Yes, we know that Southeast Warren is a good team and has a good record. We also have scouted them and know they have a good defense and several strong hitters. However, we think we have a really good chance to beat them because of the way we have come together in the back half of the season.
No. 8 BCLUW (30-7) is the top seed in your region, and you could meet the Comets in the regional final on Oct. 29. Your team split a pair of close matches against BCLUW at the Dunkerton tournament. Do you think the two teams are pretty evenly matched?
Yes, BCLUW is a very good team, and they have had two big hitters the past couple years. I think the Dunkerton tournament was a good challenge for both teams, and I think we are pretty even since we split before.
Your team defeated BCLUW in last year’s Class 1A championship match and in the semifinals in 2023. Were you surprised the Comets were placed in the same region with you?
Yes, I was very surprised that we were placed in the same region because of last year, but I think it will be a good challenge for both of us and will be a very competitive match.
If your team can make it back to the state tournament, do you think you’d be a dangerous team–just because of your championship pedigree?
If we were to make it back to state, I think we would be a very dangerous team.
Saint Ansgar (25-4) is currently the No. 1 team in class 1A. Do you know much about the Saints?
Saint Ansgar is a very good team with only four losses, but as we compete and advance our team will start to watch and strategize the other team we play.