Ryan Severson didn’t envision being an impact player on the backline this season for the Olentangy Liberty boys volleyball team. Battling a pair of bone bruises in his left knee, the junior outside hitter found a way to contribute as a defensive specialist.

Severson, who had 70 digs and 22 aces in 17 matches for the Patriots, who are 19-4 overall after a 25-20, 25-11, 25-8 win as the top seed over 15^th-seeded Olentangy Orange in the second round of the Division I, Region 1 tournament, is a full-rotation player when healthy.

“I’ve been playing since I was 12,” Severson said. “As an outside, I’ve always been able to pass. I’ve always liked defense. Obviously, I’d like to be in the front row. But when that wasn’t possible, playing in the back row was just the best option.”

Liberty, seeking its third consecutive trip to the state tournament, hosts 10^th-seeded Westerville South in a regional quarterfinal on May 13.

The injury kept him from playing the front line with any regularity until the regular-season finale, a 28-26, 17-25, 15-10 loss at Hilliard Darby in the OCC Challenge on May 1.

He played full rotation for the last two sets of that match, notching eight of his 22 kills for the season.

Severson suffered the injury at the beginning of club season last November, but he wasn’t sure how it happened.

“I’m definitely still not at 100%, but it’s a lot better than it was a few months ago,” Severson said.

Severson took most of the winter season off attempting a couple of comebacks along the way, but didn’t get on the floor with any regularity until the end of March.

“I started noticing some knee pain and I thought it was just a volleyball injury and something that I had to play through,” he said. “It’s been rough, but I have a lot of good people in my life that got me through it. I’ve been keeping my head down and just trying to work through it. That’s how I’ve been getting through it.”