Day 4-Sunday, December 2
It was an early morning, but everyone is excited to be back home! The team had to be on the bus at the hotel at 4:45 a.m. PT to make a 6:45 a.m. PT flight. After getting on the plane, though, it was clear that we would be waiting a while, as the rain and gusty winds kept us from taking off. After sitting on the runway for approximately an hour and a half, WKU was on its way from San Francisco to Atlanta for the first part of the trip, and even though the team was in California for four days, they didn't see sun until flying through the air in Atlanta.
With the delay in San Francisco, the team had to run to the next flight to Louisville. Fortunately, the flight was being held for us, so the Lady Tops could make it back home as planned. Once in Louisville, the team boarded the bus and headed back to Bowling Green. HOME SWEET HOME!!
Day 4-Saturday, December 1
Game Day (Part Deux)!! Still excited about last night's win, the team had to change its focus to Stanford. The girls got to sleep in a bit, as they didn't have to get to campus quite as early as yesterday.
With breakfast complete and team meeting done, the team left the hotel for a pregame meal. They then headed over to Maples Pavilion where the gym was set up and ready to go!
Though the result of the match wasn't what the WKU team and fans wanted, it was a great match and a fun atmosphere! Big, BIG shoutout to the Hilltopper Nation that made the trip to California!
Tomorrow is an early morning flight, so sleep is much wanted and needed after an awesome trip to the West Coast!
Day 3-Friday, November 30
Game Day!! Today is the reason the WKU volleyball team traveled to California, so business had to be taken care of.
After breakfast, the team hopped on the bus to head to Stanford's Maples Pavilion for practice. Took a little bit longer to get there due to traffic and rain, but made it just in time.
After practice, the Stanford staff took the Lady Tops over to the tennis center where the team stayed until game time. With the hotel being not close to campus and the traffic that will be on campus due to the Pac-12 Championship game between Stanford and UCLA that was happening at the same time as the volleyball matches, the team, as many of the other teams, had to stay on campus for the duration of the day. During the down time, many of the girls took naps, did homework, listened to music, watched movies and had a chance to see what football gameday is like on other campuses.
With lunch delivered from a campus restaurant, the team headed over to the match about two hours before it was set to begin. The WKU fan section began to fill in about an hour before, as it was loud all during the match.
Then the team played an awesome game to earn the program's first NCAA Tournament win! After the game, the Lady Tops made thier way back to the hotel where cake was waiting on birthday girl Noelle Langenkamp. Then it was time to get rested, as tomorrow brings on a tough opponent in No. 2 Stanford.
Day 2-Thursday, November 29
As the team continues to adjust to Pacific time, the Lady Toppers got to see a little more of California than they did yesterday.
Breakfast was the first thing on the agenda with lots of options in the hotel's cafe. Then the team rode over to Stanford's campus for practice. After taking care of business on the court, the girls got a chance to have a little fun and see some of the sites of San Francisco from the bus. One exception came at the Golden Gate Bridge, as the team got the chance to walk around and snap some photos.
Once sightseeing was complete, it was back to the hotel before dinner at a nearby restaurant with the whole travel crew and some of the parents that arrived earlier in the day. With dinner complete, it was time to call it a day. Have to get plenty of rest because tomorrow is what it is all about!
Day 1-Wednesday, November 28
Travel day! It was a long day, but Coach Travis Hudson and his staff, a few of the athletic administrators, all 13 Lady Toppers (because we couldn't leave Harlie behind!), and family members are safely in California! The team departed from Diddle Arena around 9 a.m. for the Nasvhille airport. The girls were treated with lots of well wishes from their "entourage."
They also had an encouraging sendoff from Athletics Director Todd Stewart (If you haven't seen it, make sure to check it out on the WKU Sports YouTube page).
After arriving at Nashville and grabbing some lunch, the team was off to its pit stop in Denver. Although it was a packed plane, the captains gave a shoutout to the WKU volleyball team and told them to "tear it up." Once in Denver, a flight delay set the team back from its original arrival time in San Francisco a couple of hours.
It wasn't long, though, before the Lady Toppers took off over the Rocky Mountains (literally) and made it to California around 6 p.m. PT, which is 8 p.m. back home. Some dinner at the hotel was in order before everyone called it a night after a busy cross-country travel day.
