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EDWARDSVILLE - Kennedi Walls, a senior hitter for the O'Fallon girls volleyball team, has enjoyed a good season that's heading into its final days, with the IHSA Class 4A playoffs right around the corner. She's determined to have fun playing the game with her teammates for the rest of the way.
Walls was a key player for the Panthers in their 25-23, 20-25, 25-18 win at Edwardsville on Oct. 7, 2025, at Lucco-Jackson Gym, a win that knocked the Tigers out of the undefeated ranks of the Southwestern Conference race and threw the race wide open. In a post-match interview, Walls expressed her happiness with a match that was well-played by both sides.
"I'm feeling great," Walls said. "It was so much fun to be on the court. The energy was always there, especially coming back from a tough loss. I think the team really needed this, and we earned it, too. That was very fun."
The win over the Tigers was also a most important one for O'Fallon as well, as it helped the Panthers get back into the race for the top. It served as a major momentum boost for the team.
"It provided a lot of confidence boost," Walls said. "We talk about confidence; it definitely went up throughout the team."
In fact, the team's mindset was one of fun on the court, and it helped tremendously.
"The coach (Natalie Best) told us we play our best when we're having fun, and that's exactly what we did," Walls added.
The Panthers were definitely having a blast on the court during the match, and it showed in their performance that night.
"It was so much fun," Walls said. "I think it's the best the team has played, and definitely moving forward with this."
As far as goals and aspirations for herself and the Panthers for the rest of the campaign, it's all about bringing positive energy to the team.
"A goal I had, that I actually implemented, was bringing energy to the team," Walls said, "and, personally, just confidence, which I feel like definitely showed out today. It was just a very fun game from both sides."
