St. Thomas Aquinas outside hitter Sydney Van Cott capped off a memorable senior season as she lifted the Raiders during the playoffs to capture the Class 6A state championship. Van Cott was recognized as the Sun Sentinel’s Broward County 7A-6A girls volleyball player of the year.
Van Cott lifted the Raiders to a district championship with 21 kills in the match. She also stepped up in the regional semifinal with 15 kills in a five-set victory. Van Cott had 12 kills in the state semifinal and made an impact during the state championship match against Viera with 14 kills.
St. Thomas Aquinas finished 27-3 and avenged a state semifinal loss to Viera from last year.
“The whole season, we wanted our revenge and we got a rematch with them,” Van Cott said. “We have a lot of skilled players. We put in a lot of hard work and we were dedicated. I think it shows our team is mentally strong and we rallied together.”
Van Cott finished her senior campaign with 315 kills, 135 digs, 30 blocks, 25 aces and a .343 hitting percentage.
“This year, I took on more leadership qualities and my team relied on me more to make plays on the outside,” she said. “I love when I get the ball and I did really well for the team.”
Van Cott started playing volleyball at the YMCA. She has been able to develop her game while playing club volleyball for several years. She will continue her volleyball journey at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.
“I had a good connection with the coach at Mercer and it’s a big factor,” she said. “I have a passion for the game and I am excited.”
Van Cott said one of her favorite memories during the regular season was helping to lift the Raiders to a victory during a home match against Cardinal Gibbons. She also enjoyed the opportunity to play in front of the home crowd during the playoffs.
“It’s very cool to reach a goal of winning a state title, especially in my senior year,” she said.
By ALEX KUSHEL | Sun Sentinel Correspondent.
