PROVIDENCE ’ S 10 SENIORS POSE FOR PICTURES WITH THE CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY FOLLOWING THE PIONEERS ’ 3-1 VICTORY OVER BELLMONT IN THE FINAL AT BALL STATE UNIVERSITY ’ S WORTHEN ARENA IN MUNCIE ON NOV . 4 .
SENIORS
LEAVE THEIR MARK
November 4 marked the final time that Providence ’ s Class of 2024 bumped , set and spiked collectively on a court .
STORY BY PATRICK MURPHY
The 10 Providence seniors — Lilly Tappel , Ella Baldwin , Lilly Kaiser , Makenzie Wagner , Nicole Stratford , Anna Rodewig , Claire Gillespie , Reese Carver , Camila Adams and Avery Drury — have left their mark on the program . Fittingly in their four seasons , the Pioneers raised 10 trophies in the postseason .
The final match for the seniors was the Class 3A state final against the Bellmont Braves . It was a rematch of last year ’ s state championship match . Providence beat the Braves in four sets — 25-19 , 31-29 , 23-25 , 25-21 — for its second straight state title .
“ I think with each win we got stronger and we realized this wasn ’ t as easy as we thought ,” Gillespie , a 5-foot-9 middle blocker , said . “ I think with each win we realized this could be the last and we just wanted to fight for more days together .”
The Pioneers ’ seniors won three sectionals , three regionals , two semistates and two state titles and amassed a 79.5 winning percentage ( going 105-27 ) in their four years .
14 PROVIDENCE PIONEERS | VOLLEYBALL | IHSAA CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPS 2023 NEWS AND TRIBUNE