Liberty volleyball beats Newport for fifth-straight win

After a remarkable season a year ago, the Liberty High School volleyball team got out to a shaky start. But ever since, the Patriots have been on absolute fire.

In the Patriots’ first match of the season. they fell to Bellevue in five sets. It might have been a blessing in disguise, as far as Head Coach Shea O’Brien has seen — her side has been playing freer than ever.

“In that first game we were really nervous, we put too much pressure on ourselves,” O’Brien said.

Her side didn’t really put last year’s state run behind them, but instead tried to play to that expectation instead of playing their brand of volleyball.

“While losing the first match wasn’t fun, it might have been good for us and let us play more free since we don’t have that undefeated (season) over us,” O’Brien said.

Over the last five matches, the Patriots are 5-0, including a straight set victory over Newport on Sept. 23 at home.

“We have just been focused on bringing energy from the first set. Every team we have played so far, we know we can beat them… In our first game we came in overconfident,” said junior Julianne Lee.

In the five match wins for Liberty since that Bellevue loss, they have won every set but one. O’Brien’s team has a set record of 15-1 over its last 16 sets. Even including the Bellevue loss, Liberty has a 17-4 record in all sets played this year. During the state season a year ago, the Patriots’ record in the first six matches via set score was 18-3. Lee has taken advice from another coach that gave her the adage, “respect them enough to crush them.”

“We come in with that mindset every time,” Lee said.

Liberty dismantled the Knights on the first day of the third week of league. This year Liberty has just three seniors — Maiya Lester, Layne Ford and Kendreah Beazer. All three are key players who have set a standard and changed the culture of Patriot volleyball.

“Our seniors are very important. Offensively, they are a strong group of seniors in the conference. Off the court, they have really put the team first and have done everything needed to be done to make us as united as we need to be,” said O’Brien.

“They are a huge part of the team,” said Lee.

The Patriots won their fifth straight game in three easy sets. Set one, the Patriots won 25-13, set two was 25-15, and the final set, 25-17.

“We know we can beat every team that we can play, but that doesn’t mean that we will. They can still beat us. That is why it is important to bring everything you have no matter who you are playing,” Lee said.

The KingCo League went to tiers this season, based off records from previous seasons in an attempt to level the playing field. This year, Liberty is in the second tier, but will play teams in the top tier, the likes of Lake Washington, Eastlake and North Creek.

“We will be successful if we do what we do well and not try to do anything crazy … They can do it if they just stay consistent and focus on each point,” said O’Brien.

As far as the varsity roster goes, it is made up of five sophomores, four juniors and the three seniors. Having that youth inexperience combined with the upperclassman talent and quality, the Patriots are in their window.

“Just the underclassmen being able to practice with and experience practice with the upperclassman has been great for them. They have gotten a lot better since the beginning (of the season)… It’s a pretty high level of volleyball,” said O’Brien.