Westlake senior Lily Davis returned from a beach volleyball tournament in China last week with lifetime memories and a gold medal wrapped around her neck.
A trip filled with “unique adventures” in the mountain city of Shangluo (population: 2.3 million) had a perfect ending. Davis and partner Myriah Massey of Pickerington, Ohio, a Columbus suburb, won gold for the United States in the FIVB U19 Beach World Championships.
At 17, Lily was all smiles as she stood at attention for the playing of the national anthem before a packed outdoor volleyball stadium.
“Representing the country was a blessing, a dream come true, and doing it at such a young age is so cool,” the University of Texas beach volleyball pledge said during a practice break Thursday at Westlake’s campus gym. “The national anthem was the coolest moment ever. We’re the ones representing our country and taking pride in it.”
More than 50 countries representing all five continental confederations participated in the two-week tournament that ended Sept. 1. Davis and Massey finished with a 9-1 record, sweeping Sofia Izuzquiza and Marta Carro of Spain 21-16, 21-16 in the championship match.
That was the first international tournament for Davis, whose ultimate goal is to compete for the U.S. in beach volleyball in the Olympics. Winning this gold makes that goal seem “more real” because many Olympic beach players got their start by competing in U19 and U21 tournaments, she said.
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Davis, accompanied by her parents Chris and Jen Davis, said the experience of being in China created lifelong memories.
“Our expectations were met tenfold,” Jen said. “The country is so beautiful, it looks like a storybook illustration. Like Austin, the heart of the city is situated on a river and Shangluo is surrounded by mountains with picturesque pagodas on top. … The outdoor public spaces were massive and so clean. We were struck by the beauty of the area and impressed how Shangluo incorporated nature in their sports park.”
Lily Davis said she had the most fun just hanging out with the other American players and meeting competitors from other countries. She made fast friends with athletes from Germany, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Belgium.
Working on a tight schedule, the Davis and her teammates woke up daily about 8 a.m. and immediately ate breakfast at the hotel where every team stayed. On occasion, they ventured into the city to see the sights. The food was “different” in China and they observed a family eating duck feet, which is often served with steamed rice and vegetables.
“I couldn’t bring myself to try it,” the 6-foot-2 outsider hitter said. Her go-to dish was the wonton soup.
How did Davis describe the country?
“It was something I’d never experienced before,” she said. “The people were so welcoming. We couldn’t walk two feet without someone taking a picture of you. China is literally its own world. I wouldn’t describe it as historic or modern. They have people whose job is to sweep leaves off the roads and they do it all day long.”
Davis was still fatigued four days after returning home. Shangluo is 13 hours ahead of Austin and it took 36 hours to fly back. They flew from Shangluo to two other Chinese cities — Xi’an and Shanghai — before crossing the Pacific to land in Los Angeles. Each stop was filled by delays that lasted at least six hours.
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“I feel the fatigue in my head,” she said. “I’m mentally tired. My body’s OK, though.”
She slept 14 hours on the night the family returned home.
Davis is ready to resume her season with the Chaparrals. She will soon break the school record for career kills, currently held by 2010 Westlake graduate Sarah Shaw, who finished with 1,553. Davis had 1,504 when she rejoined the team last week.
Davis was greeted at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport by her boyfriend, Connor Vasek, a defensive end for the Chaparral football team, who gave her a dozen roses.
“I’m so proud of her,” he said.
One might say Davis has become a celebrity at Westlake. She was sitting in math class on her first day back to school last Wednesday when the morning announcements were read over the classroom’s intercom speaker. Everyone clapped when they learned that one of their own had just been crowned a world champion beach volleyball player.
At 17, more international adventures are certain to come.
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Publish date : 2024-09-06 10:31:00
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