LEROY — Ever since she started playing on the LeRoy/Ostrander volleyball team as an eighth grader, Kylie Grant has had one goal on her mind — get to 1,000.

She finally accomplished that goal recently when she made her 1,000th career dig and she’s now ran that total up to 1,132 digs.

“It was a big, big night for me,” said Grant, a senior. “It’s been something I’ve wanted to do since I started playing, since I know not many people have reached that goal. Over the years when I realized I was pretty good in the back row I knew I’d probably be able to reach it.”

Grant has made some changes to her game this season for the Cardinals, as she moved from the back row to outside hitter, where she’s put in 84 kills to go along with her 4.1 digs per game. She’s also tallied 36 aces on the season.

“It’s gone pretty well. Sometimes I struggle, other times I don’t,” Grant said of her position change. “I spent a lot of time before the season playing on the outside to get used to it.”

Grant has also taken on a leadership role this year, which is a little bit of a rebuilding year for the Cards, who had won over 20 games the last three years.

Grant has helped make the transition to varsity easier for her younger teammates.

“It’s been wonderful,” L/O head coach Lisa Swenson said. “She’s played so much and she’s grown into a leadership role this year. In the past she was able to stand back because we had leaders, but this year she’s done a good job.”

Swenson said that she’s always had faith in Grant to set up the offense with a good pass from the back row.

“I can always count on her and she’s got very good passing skills,” she said. “We rely on her a lot and her and (libero) Jessica Jennings work so nicely together.”

While hitting the floor on every other play or so may not sound like the most glamorous position — Grant wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s had to shake off a couple of stress fractures in her leg, but she hasn’t been slowed down by five years in the back row.

“I try to get to everything and at least get a touch on it,” Grant said. “I like being aggressive, diving to the floor and getting bruises. It’s pretty fun.”

L/O enters the Section 1A tournament as a No. 9 seed and the Cardinals will play at No. 8 Rushford/Peterson Monday at 7 p.m.

Grant is the second L/O volleyball player to get 1,000 digs in the past five years. Rachel Rosedahl, who graduated last year, hit that mark last season.