The volleyball team (18–2) is having perhaps their best season in school history, and at the center of their success is outside hitter Kaylin Kuhn ’21. Last Friday, in a victory over Lake Forest College, Kuhn became just the seventh Pioneer in history to record 1,000 kills. She accomplished this feat in only 69 matches played (the previous record was 81 matches).
“I think the biggest thing that allowed me to get to this point is my teammates. They’re such great players, and I can’t get any kills without a great set and a great pass,” Kuhn said.
Kuhn has had a tremendous impact ever since she first stepped foot in Darby gymnasium. As a first-year, she led the team with 300 total kills, which won her Midwest Conference (MWC) Newcomer of the Year honors. In her second-year she built upon her success, as she amassed 449 kills with a 4.32 kill per set ratio, which got her selected to the All-MWC first-team.
This year, Kuhn has found a way to best herself yet again. Through the first 20 games of the season she has recorded 288 kills with a blistering 4.72 kill per set ratio. “Every year I’ve learned new hits and gotten better at certain shots. Also, having another year with my setter [Julianna Roth] has been huge, as we click better together,” Kuhn said.
The Pioneers have a loaded team from top to bottom this year, but Kuhn’s presence on the court helps put them over the edge. Her ability to spike the ball and put an end to a rally at any moment is a lethal weapon that not too many of their opponents can boast. Kuhn credits the explosiveness in her game to the weight room, as she’s been constantly lifting weights since middle school. Furthermore, she claims her outside training has really helped set her game apart. “Especially in the offseason, with my coach we’ll do small group practices where we’ll just work on technique, form, and stuff like that. We focus on using more torque and getting higher off the ground,” Kuhn said.
While Kuhn has already set one school record, she’s hoping to go for another one that would be much more important to her: winning the team’s first ever MWC tournament. The squad nearly made it to the MWC championship last year, but this year, Kuhn feels as if it’s their time to shine. “This is the first year we truly know we can win it, so it’s just a matter of taking advantage of the opportunity,” Kuhn said.
