CUBA – The Cuba High School volleyball team appears to be hitting its stride at the right time. The Lady Wildcats played their last regular season match of the season on Oct. 13 in Steelville and won in straight sets 25-14, 25-16 and 25-19 on Steelville’s Pink Out Night. 

The Lady Wildcats haven’t lost a match since their Sept. 22 game against Linn, winning seven straight matches and capturing the Belle Varsity Volleyball Tournament title. After starting their season 4-5, the Lady Wildcats ended the regular season with a dominant 14-2-2 stretch to finish with a 18-7-2 record, which is Cuba’s best record since the 2017-18 season. That blistering finish helped earn Cuba first place in the Gasconade Valley Conference standings in head coach Makayla Coleman’s first season at the helm. Coleman helped quickly turn around a program that had a 7-14 record last season into a team that has a chance of doing damage in postseason play. After a grueling regular season schedule, The Lady Cats had a week off before hosting Salem at 5 p.m. on Oct. 21 in the first round of districts, which will be detailed in next week’s edition. If Cuba, who’s a five-seed in the district bracket, wins that match, they would host number one seed at 5 p.m. on Oct. 23 in Sullivan.

Cuba’s JV team played its last match of the season on Oct. 13 against Steelville. The Lady Cats lost the first set 25-18, won the second set 25-16, but lost the third set 25-17 to take the loss. Despite the loss, Cuba’s JV team finished the year with a strong 17-9 record, including matches in the Freshman Tri Tournament, leaving head coach Cameron Myers feeling excited about the team’s future. 

“Each athlete brought something unique and valuable to the team,” Myers said. “The growth, effort, and heart they showed this season is something truly remarkable, and a great example for our girls in youth volleyball.”

Myers, a Cuba alumni and first-year coach for the Lady Wildcats said that she loves helping the small school’s program grow and appreciates all of the community’s support. 

“As a Cuba alum, I am thrilled to see volleyball growing and thriving within our small town,” Myers said. “The team is grateful for the strong support from parents, fans, and the Cuba community who cheered them on every step of the way.”