The Freshman team got things started and even though they lost both games showed some nice fight in the second game and tested the Pandas. Some of the laid back assertiveness went by the wayside in the second set as the girls picked it up and started putting points on the scoreboard.
The JV team came out and competed right out of the gate. Coach Hacker’s Heroes were primed and ready and weren't intimidated as one might expect. The JV’ers didn’t play particularly well in the first set but they were right there with much of the difference in the game being self inflicted points for the opposition. There never was a mode of panic or frustration and Coach Hacker’s focus was clearly on keeping the girl’s level of excitement on the positive side of the slope. As the second set started, the girls were clearly giving it all they had. Player after player stepped up and you could really see the camaraderie of the team becoming contagious and sticky. SK went out to a 12-6 lead and the panic and frustration moved to the navy and gold side of the net. The excitement of what the JV girls were doing caught on in the stands with the painted dudes and parents. The JV Lady Neers pulled off the second set win behind a total team effort. The third game was tight but the Pandas prevailed over the Pioneers. It was Whoville on the court though. NDA looked beat even though they had won but the SK girls left the court disappointed in the L but with a level of satisfaction that they played their best. To me, the SK JV bunch took away the swagger out of the air and laid down the blueprints for some fun and excitement for the evening.
The varsity girls came out and looked pumped from the onset. While I said they looked flat the other night, Coach Atwood clearly had her girls mentally ready for tonight’s contest. The Lady Neers didn’t look like the same team that just lost two sets to Conner. They went right at NDA. Sure, they sometimes ate a little Tachikara sushi but they kept going back for more and stuck their noses right back in the ring. When SK scored, they celebrated. I’m talking, jump out of the gym type celebrating. It was fun to watch the girls, team, and coaches having fun. A nice student section and decent crowd from the rest of the Indy community made it the place to be tonight.
In the end, Notre Dame was too big, strong and talented. But that’s OK; SK scored double digits in both sets and hung a 20 spot on the board. This might sound strange, but SK outplayed them.
Tonight represented a couple of ah-ha moments for me. First. I think I made a transition over to a volleyball dad. I’ve always been a soccer and b-ball dad but I felt like I made some transition tonight high fivn’ some of the other dads and cheering for #13 to the point she would have corrected me if she had been close enough. Second, ah-ha was for the program. The girls showed that they have a ton of potential when they play the game to their capability. They let the cat out of the bag about how they can play.
A moral victory you might ask? Nope, sorry, no moral victories in sports but there sure isn’t a lot wrong with losing when you have fun, compete and get after it. I’m not sure how the team felt but I kind of walked out of the gym feeling like the girls had won the matches. The matches tonight reinforced for me what high school sports should be all about. If you were there, you were proud of your daughters, neighbors, and school. Congrats Lady Neers for playing with Pioneer Pride.
JV ACTION
Hannah with some really nice play.
Fig with the Kill and game point.
So go ahead and celebrate!
Taylor B
Tonight; teammates celebrated as much as the player making the play.
Woo-hoo!
Smith had to go back, back, back to claim this one.
Meanwhile, her serves were key again tonight.
Carson getting ready.
Look like sisters? Nope, first cous.
VARSITY ACTION
Murray up and away. Nice night with 3 kills and 2 Aces.
Nobody gets more pumped than this senior! Caverly with 5 kills on the night.
Nice play by Robinson.
Kelsey got tagged like a punching bag tonight but she never did back away. She logged 8 digs for the night.
Eudy talking it through.
Eudy with one of her 5 kills on the night.
Dunner trying to outjump Caverly.
Not so sure she did.
Sophie with 12 assists on the night.
Looking a bit happier than Tuesday.
Certainly doesn't look like a group on the downside of the scoreboard.
Murray giving out instructions.
Saralyn and Sam whooping it up.
Finally, fill in the funny caption; I had several.
