Insider: Perfection was expected of Hamilton Southeastern in 2023. It still raised the bar

MUNCIE — It's kind of crazy to actually put into writing, but perfection was basically the expectation for the 2023 Hamilton Southeastern volleyball team.

Now, was anyone expecting the Royals to sweep their first 10 opponents and finish their Class 4A state championship run with a 95-5 set differential? Probably not. But with all but one player from last year's championship team set to return — including a seven-girl senior class with six college recruits (five Division I commits) — they were the odds-on favorite in the state's largest classification, with most expecting them to run the table.

Perfection was the expectation for HSE. And it still raised the bar.

Such a lofty standard would seem to come with an immense amount of pressure for the players, but that never seemed to be a concern for this group or even a topic of discussion as they ran their win streak to 67 matches over the past three months.

'These seniors are a magical group': Hamilton Southeastern caps perfect season with 4A title

"This team knows how to have fun," senior hitter Lauren Harden, a Florida commit, said. To her point, the players dressed up in Halloween costumes for the first part of Tuesday's practice (the results were fantastic), and could be heard singing Christmas songs in the Worthen Arena hallway and inside their locker room Saturday night as they waited to begin warming up for the Class 4A championship match vs. Castle — a tradition which began during last year's state final.

"We knew to be a successful team, we had to play as a family and play together," Harden continued. "That was a big goal for us and something that came to us pretty easily at the end of the day because we've all been playing together for so long. So, the big thing was to have fun and play for each other."

That mentality helped the Royals function as a team, which is all the more impressive when you consider their surplus of talent at basically every position — most notably outside and middle hitter with Harden, Breonna Goss (Duke commit), Tiffany Snook (Memphis), Lindsay Mangelson (Mississippi State), Madison Miles and Madison Evett among the players vying for reps. It can be hard sometimes, Snook admitted. "But I think we would all rather win."

"It's so special (to be part of this program)," senior libero Sophie Ledbetter, a Ball State commit, said. "The people, the intensity we bring to every practice, I can definitely say I've gotten better in this program and we've made this program better. It's so special and I'm so happy to be part of it."

The younger players are fully bought in, as well.

Junior Loyola Chicago commit Ava Hunter has stayed with the program as a setter despite playing behind senior Santa Clara commit Macy Hinshaw, with the two sharing the position (similar to what Hinshaw did her first two years in the program). They combined for 58 assists Saturday night, with Hinshaw finishing the season with over 600 assists and Hunter tacking on over 500.

"We're close. We talk a lot about other stuff and we laugh together," Hinshaw said during the week, Hunter giggling beside her. "There's never been a time when we haven't liked each other. We appreciate one another and get better during practice by playing against each other."

And then there's junior Kaylyn Christy, who's committed to Palm Beach Atlantic as a six-rotation outside hitter, but plays defensive specialist for HSE alongside Ledbetter*. She rehabbed relentlessly after blowing her knee out in February to play for the Royals this season (she made it back in four months!). And Christy waited a week to announce her college commitment back in September so senior DS Madison Schicker could have the entire week to celebrate her commitment to Hanover College.

"That's not the type of thing you see a ton, let alone from a 16-year-old kid," coach Jason Young said. "That's a level of love that is beautiful to share with another teammate and it shows how close some of these guys are and how much it means to them that they get celebrated. … That was just really special."

More: HSE's Kaylyn Christy faced a year-long recovery process. She made it back in four months.

*-Ledbetter moved from outside hitter to libero prior to last season and cleared 1,000 career digs in her final high school match, which is awesome.

When sophomore Mayce McConnell mishandled a reception during the opening set Saturday night, her teammates immediately swarmed her and assured her that everything was OK, with Ledbetter putting her arm around her and offering a few last-second words of encouragement ahead of the next play. On the ensuing serve, McConnell wisely allowed the ball to sail out of bounds, much to the delight of her teammates (Hunter was particularly pumped up).

This year's seniors were a "magical group," Young said, expressing pride in the legacy they leave with HSE volleyball. "I'm just so proud of them."

"It's kind of bittersweet," Ledbetter said of Saturday's finale. "This is what we've been working so hard for, but also it's over and I think that's just kind of setting in for the seniors. But all-around, we're happy."

Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IHSAA volleyball: Perfection was expected of HSE. It raised the bar