Saturday, the Lawrence High volleyball team qualified for the Class 6A state tournament for the second season in a row.

Sunday morning, the Lions learned that they once again would be the No. 8 seed at the tourney.

LHS, who defeated Olathe East and Olathe Northwest at sub-state Saturday, finished the season with a 22-16 record and was placed into Pool A at the state tourney. The Lions will have to contend with top-seeded Washburn Rural (36-4), fourth-seeded Blue Valley West (29-10) and fifth-seeded Maize (30-12) in pool play. The top two teams in the pool will advance to Saturday’s semifinals.

LHS will open the event against Wahsburn Rural at 3:30 p.m. Friday at the Kansas Expocentre in Topeka. The Lions’ other two pool play matches will be played at 6:30 (vs. BV West) and 8:30 (vs. Maize) Friday night.

The Lions faced all three teams in their pool during the regular season. They lost to Maize twice, split two meetings with BV West and lost the only meeting with Washburn Rural. In addition, LHS has battled three of the four teams in Pool B, as well.

Although Lawrence High will be playing as the lowest seed in the bracket, the team features five players with experience from last year’s state tournament and has its sights set on making it out of pool play this time around.

“It feels better this year,” said junior setter Kiely Mosiman of qualifying for state. “Because now we know that last year wasn’t just a fluke.”

Added LHS coach Stephanie Magnuson: “We’re ready for whatever’s going to get thrown at us. We know we’re the underdogs but we’re not really worried about that. We just want to play. We just want Friday to get here.”

The LHS varsity lineup features three seniors — Jasmyn Turner, Alex Kincaid and Carrie Klemencic — and six juniors — Mosiman, Lillian Schonewise, Mary Coldsnow, Morgan Green, Kelsey Broadwell and Kendyll Severa.