The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods women's volleyball team is concluding its regular season this weekend with matches at home against Midway University on Friday night at 7:00 pm followed by a match against Alice Lloyd College on Saturday at noon.
Saturday's match will also be Senior Day for the Pomeroys as Katelyn Bucy and Sydni Bailey will be honored at their final home matches.
Bucy has been with the Pomeroys for four years and has been a big key for the history the Pomeroys have accomplished during her time at SMWC, including the 2021 USCAA D1 Volleyball NAtional Championship and setting a school record for team wins during this season.
"She has been a great asset to have," said Head Coach Ashley Harris, "She works super hard, takes everything you throw at her, and she tries to make those changes right away. Her leadership off the court is huge. She is a kid that has high goals for herself, and she holds herself to that standard and those around her."
Bucy has been a key for the team these past couple seasons, helping the team get wins against schools they haven't beat before in conference, like IU East, and winning the USCAA D1 Volleyball National Championship during the 2021 season. "Winning the championship last year for the first time ever was super special to me," said Bucy, "Just seeing all of our hard work everyday in the gym finally paying off by beating IU East is just awesome."
Bucy has been a great setter for the team these past two seasons totally 500 of her 528 total assists during the final two years of her college career. She has also been in the top five all season long in the individual conference stat leaders in service aces and service aces per set during this season.
"The past four years have meant everything to me," Bucy said when asked about her time at SMWC, "It has meant everything to me to play in college and it just means a lot to me to be apart of something bigger than myself."
Bucy will graduate from SMWC with a degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Graphic Design. Both players will leave SMWC as champions and members of the most regular season wins by a team in school history.
Sydni Bailey has spent the last two seasons at SMWC after transferring in from Lincoln Trail College. Bailey has been a solid defensive specialist for the team while she has been here. She has 157 digs on the year, improving off the 60 digs she got in her first year at SMWC. She also currently sits in the top five of individual conference stat leaders in service aces with 40 aces on the year.
Both Ashley and Ian Harris joined the program as coaches the same time Bailey transferred to SMWC from Lincoln Trail and they were glad that Bailey joined the program when she did. "Sydni was one of the first players to commit and sign with us when we took over at SMWC," she said, "Since day one she has been a fierce competitor, a steady defender in the back row, and one of the best servers I have ever coached."
Bailey has enjoyed her time at SMWC and enjoyed the time she got to spent with Ian and Ashley Harris. along with the life lessons they taught her. "My time at SMWC has been so memorable," she said, "Coach Ian and Ashley allowed me to continue to play the game I love, which was all I could have asked for from them . However, they went above and beyond that. They also pushed me to grow as an individual, a teammate, and a leader. SMWC has brought me so many teammates and friends that I will be forever thankful for."
Bailey was also another important piece to the team last season when they won the USCAA D1 Championship and the other history that the team has made this season. "We do not win a national championship last season and set the single season wins record this season without her," said Harris.
Bailey hopes that she has left a lasting impact on the team after she graduates that the team can follow for years to come. "I hope to have left a positive impact on the team and with my teammates as well," she said, "I hope to have shown that the accomplishments of the team are bigger than your own individual achievements.  I've always been a big believer you have to work for everything you want and nothing should be handed to you, so I hope that carried over with my work ethic in my sport and encourages my teammates to never cut corners and always push themselves to get better with each and every practice."
Bailey will graduate from SMWC with a major in Sports Management.
A GLANCE AT THE STANDINGS
The Pomeroys are going into the weekend currently sitting fourth in the West Division and fifth overall in the RSC standings. The Pomeroys face a Midway, 17-4 (12-4), team that they lost to begin conference play back on Sept 24 at Midway, losing to them 3 sets to 1.
The Pomeroys are coming off a defeat to IU Southeast on Tuesday night as they look to continue their strong recent play in conference action.
The first match between the two teams was dominated by Midway, but the Pomeroys have improved during the season since that first matchup. Midway sits just in front of the Pomeroys in the conference standings in the West Division as the Pomeroys look to get revenge on Midway Friday night and secure a conference tournament appearance.
The Pomeroys will then welcome Alice Lloyd College Saturday at noon to end the season. Alice Lloyd is the worst team record wise in the conference as they sit just 7-17 overall and 1-14 in conference play this season.
