MONETT — Monett’s Peyton Brandt is a history maker.
The senior volleyball player secured her 1,000th career kill against Crane on Monday, Aug. 31. Brandt is the first player in Monett history to accomplish this mark.
“It was the best,” Brandt said. “It’s always great to achieve an accomplishment like that, but it’s even better to have people surrounding me that support me so much. It’s just a great feeling to have all of them around me.”
Volleyball is in Monett’s blood, following in her mother’s footsteps. In fourth grade, she truly fell in love with the sport. On the court is where Brandt feels comfortable
securing important kills and towering blocks.
“It’s always been a goal for me to hit 1,000,” Brandt said. “I realized it at the end of sophomore year and it was really something that I wanted to work for. It then became reachable during my junior season.”
It’s still early in the season for the Cubs. They’ve started 3-4-2 with victories over Sarcoxie, New Heights Christian Academy and Ava. There are always areas to improve, according to the team’s senior leader.
“It’s been a good start to the season. There’s room for improvement,” Brandt said. “Our skills are there and we know what we need to improve on. So far, I’m really proud of everyone and how we’ve been playing.”
Monett has been relying on Brandt for her entire career. She’s the player that makes the offense thanks to her kills. She’s always improved mightily since last season.
With Division II college interest, Brandt honed her hitting by being multifaceted. This is where her game can reach the next level. Countless hours in the gym certainly helped her achieve this mark. Her versatility has made her one of the most dangerous hitters in the state.
“Definitely freshman year, I didn’t know how to swing line. I only swung down the middle,” Brandt said. “Since then, I’ve learned how to hit the ball in places that people aren’t at, hitting line, hitting across, tipping when needed.”
The goal is pretty straightforward for Monett: win the district championship. For the previous two seasons, the Cubs have been close, but Mount Vernon has edged Monett each time.
Brandt wants revenge and is trying to guide the team to new heights. Monett hasn’t won a district championship since Hall of Fame coach Jackie Bolton, who led Monett to seven titles from 1984 to 1996.
“We’ve fallen short, but this year we are determined to go and win that title,” Brandt said. “We are working on our mindset right now. We are learning that mistakes happen and that we can move on from it and to push through it.”
Liam Keating covers high school sports and Missouri State athletics for The Springfield News-Leader. Send stats or information to him at Lkeating@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Monett volleyball's Peyton Brandt makes history with 1,000 career kills
