Pirates Conclude Historic Season at State Volleyball

The Hudson volleyball team made history this season, earning its first trip to the state tournament since 2019. The Pirates traveled to Xtream Arena in Coralville on Tuesday, Nov. 3, to face a tough challenge in the Class 2A state quarterfinals against the top-seeded Hinton Blackhawks.

Hudson entered the matchup as the No. 8 seed, looking to pull off an upset against the No. 1 seed. Despite a strong effort from the Pirates, Hinton proved to be a difficult opponent.

Hudson and Hinton battled back and forth in the opening set, with the Pirates holding an early lead. However, the Blackhawks took control later in the set and came back to win 25-16.

Hudson battled back in the second set, keeping the score close throughout, but Hinton managed to pull away late and secure a 25-22 victory. In the third set, Hinton continued its momentum, winning 25-12 to complete the three-set sweep.

Sophomore Paige Davis led the Pirates with nine kills, while sophomore Natalie Rausch added eight. Freshman Brinn Olsen recorded 19 assists, and senior Siri Olsen led the team with 14 digs.

The Pirates finished their season with a 36-9 record after advancing to the state tournament.

Although Hudson came up short of advancing, reaching the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2019 was a major accomplishment for the volleyball program. The team’s journey to state reflected the hard work, determination and dedication of the players and coaches throughout the season.

The volleyball program will graduate six seniors who leave the program better than they found it. For the returning Pirates, the experience of competing at state provides motivation to continue building on this season’s success, with hopes of making many more state tournament appearances in the future.