Volleyball Recap: Lawrence Free State Takes a Loss

Lawrence Free State entered their matchup against Olathe West on Tuesday without any home losses, but there's a first time for everything. The Firebirds came up short against the Owls, falling 3-0. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Firebirds of the 3-0 defeat they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in September of 2024.

While Lawrence Free State was kept off the board, it wasn't for a lack of trying: they cut into Olathe West's winning margin in every set. The final score came out to 25-9, 25-18, 25-19.

Despite the loss, Lawrence Free State saw an underclassman step up: freshman Brinley Whitney had eight digs and two aces.

Olathe West's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Kaiya Finazzo led the charge by getting 11 digs and five assists. Finazzo is on a roll when it comes to digs, as she's now had 11 or more in each of the last four games she's played.

Lawrence Free State's defeat dropped their record down to 11-7. As for Olathe West, their victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 12-3.

Lawrence Free State wasted no time getting back out on the court and has already played their next contest, a 3-1 loss against Olathe Northwest on the 25th. As for Olathe West, they have also already played their next match, a 3-0 win against Shawnee Mission West on the 25th.