Varsity girls’ volleyball won 3-0 against non-league opponent Lynbrook on Wednesday evening, supported by cheerful fans and green pom-poms flooding the stands.
The team won their first set 25-19, and the second set fared similarly with a final score of 25-20. The players rode their momentum to a quick 25-8 victory in the final set, resulting in a whoop of cheers from the fans.
The coaches were satisfied with the team’s performance, especially the execution of techniques practiced in drills the previous day. The girls had a stronger defense and more effective digs compared to previous matches.
Furthermore, the team served consistently well, only missing two serves and earning several more aces. Shannon Richardson (10) had a run of eleven serves while Shreya Dixit (11) had a run of nine.
“I think today [our serves were] better, but [they are] always pretty strong,” Shreya said. “Also, you have to consider the team we played. While our serving might not have changed, their passing might have been worse.”
Despite their victory against Lynbrook, the team members agree they still need to improve in order to compete in the CCS tournament.
Last year, as a varsity team inundated with freshmen, any success was viewed by the league as a surprise. Head Coach Theresa “Smitty” Smith thought of the freshmen’s talent as the team’s “secret.” As an “older and wiser” team this year, the standards have been raised.
“Not to say we’re playing bad by any means, but we need to play a lot better to compete with the teams in our league because they’re really good,” Smitty said.
Similarly, Head Assistant Coach Scott Petersen focused on the present.
“It’s kind of one of those situations where we’re taking it one day at a time,” he said. “We’re trying not to think of the huge expectations and let winning take care of itself.”
With their constant improvement, the girls look forward to their chances of competing in CCS. Although they will face harder teams, Renu Singh (12) feels confident that as long as they “pick up their energy and pick up their excitement,” they will fare well.
The next home game will be on Tuesday, October 1st against Sacred Heart Prep in the Blackford gym.