Health & Fitness
We dig it! Former Lighthouse volleyball captain makes records in Div. 1
A volleyball star from Santa Monica triumphs at the highest levels.
After posting volleyball records at Washington State University, former Lighthouse girl's captain Kate Sommer will try out for the U.S. women's national team in February.
Now a sophomore libero at WSU, Kate got the highest number of digs (36) in a match in the Div. 1 western conference this past season. She was instrumental in helping the habitual Pac-12 bottom dwellers upset 4th-ranked USC in a come-from-behind thriller on Nov. 17.
When she was a senior at Lighthouse Christian Academy in 2011, Kate led her underpopulated school into semifinals (read story). Granted a scholarship at WSU, she jumped at the chance to join the school's bid to challenge the Pac-12 athletics hegemony.
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“Anybody can be part of a team that's good. I didn't want to be part of a dynasty,” said Kate, back in Santa Monica during Christmas break. “I wanted to be part of a change. At Lighthouse, we we're always the underdogs. So when I saw Washington State University's plan to break out of mediocrity, I was drawn to that.”
Kate played every game this season and ranked 7th in the Pac-12 for digs. With her help, the Cougars defeated three nationally ranked teams – USC, 16th-ranked Arizona State University and 23rd-ranked UC Berkeley.
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When they played USC, the Cougars lost their first two games and teetered on the brink of their 9th straight loss to the Trojan volleyball machine. But Kate kept digging, and her team fought hard. They won the third game 25-22 and then the fourth game, also 25-22.
Tied two games to two, WSU went down 8-14 in the deciding contest. From there, the Cougars mustered a rarely-seen rally to befuddle USC 21-19. They limited the nation's leader of aces to only one untouched serve. See WSU's info graphic featuring a picture of Kate here.
“I made a perfect transition from Lighthouse,” Kate said. A club volleyball player, she was more than just a star; she was a leader and taught everyone around her how to be great. She raised those around her to unexpected excellence.
Her impressive stats and contribution to WSU's successful season earned her the chance to try out for the national team. Should she land a spot, she would be a step away from joining the U.S. Olympic team.
Kate has come a long way already, and to look to far ahead could be dizzying. For now, she is happy to make a difference where she's at.
Find out more about Lighthouse volleyball here.
