As the year went on, teams became more and more focused on stopping Khiara Thomas.

The Sycamore junior left-side hitter found other ways to contribute while still maintaining her attack, helping the Spartans win a regional for the second time in three years.

“It’s not about going out there and banging 10-footers or hitting your hardest,” Thomas said. “It’s playing evenly in every category. That’s the most important thing.”

Thomas finished with a .256 hitting average with 245 kills and 175 digs. She had a 2.0 serve-receive average (out of three) and was efficient from the service line as well throughout the year.

She was the Daily Chronicle Volleyball Player of the Year, the second straight Spartans left-side hitter to win the award after Ava Carpenter won it last year.

“Obviously there were some games where it wasn’t working at all or I kept getting dug or something,” said Thomas, a second-team all-area selection last year. “I tried not to let it get to me and tried to focus on, if my hitting wasn’t going the best, focus on passing. Or if my passing isn’t going the best, focus on serving. In the end it’s not all about me. Sometimes it doesn’t go well but you slowly work your way back into getting your hits more consistent and finding ways to score.”

The season peaked for the Spartans in a 13-25, 26-24, 25-23 win over higher-seeded Dixon in the Class 3A Rochelle Regional championship. After the lopsided loss in the opener, the Spartans trailed 23-19 in the second set. Thomas started the rally with a kill.

In the rubber match, Thomas had back-to-back kills to start a 4-0 run that put the Spartans ahead 23-19, then after Dixon tied it at 23 she had another kill to put the Spartans ahead for good.

“We went in thinking this could be our last time playing all together, so why not go out and play our fullest and play our hardest,” Thomas said.

Coach Jennifer Charles said that Thomas stepped into the primary left-side hitter role vacated by Carpenter extremely well.

It was a process that started when Carpenter was hurt late last season, moving Thomas up the depth chart earlier than expected.

“She definitely stepped up in that position that was Ava Carpenter’s last year,” Charles said. “I felt like she went into that role knowing what she had to do and I feel like she accomplished all the goals she set for herself this year.”

The Spartans went 10-22 last season, 3-8 in the Interstate 8, and were bounced in the first round of the playoffs. This year, they doubled both their overall and conference win totals (20-16, 6-4) and took home a regional plaque.

They ended the season winning nine of their last 14 matches.

“She knew going into both the postseason and the second half of the season that a lot of people were going to try their best to stop her or at least take away some balls from her,” Charles said. “She knew that she had to figure out a way at the end of the season to create her own kills. I think she did that very, very well. She took it as a compliment, teams not wanting her to have the ball.”

Thomas said she learned this year to play without regrets. She also learned how important chemistry is. Last year’s team, she said, was close, but this year’s team was even closer.

With another year of experience under her belt and a lot of returning teammates, Thomas said she hopes the Spartans can at the very least win another regional.

“Obviously I really want to go to state, so I’m going to give it my all to try and get us there,” Thomas said. “That’s something we all want to do. It didn’t work out this year but I’m hoping next year.”