Lady Warriors volleyball dives out of regionals
Playing their last game of the region before the playoffs, NC put their best foot forward, working hard to implement the skills they worked on during practice. “We played extremely well and we are ready to take on Kennesaw Mountain again during the region tournament this upcoming week,” senior Isabella Rodriguez said.
October 9, 2018
Making the trip over to Kennesaw Mountain, the NC Lady Warriors Volleyball team took on the Mustangs on Thursday, October 4. Kennesaw Mountain also held their senior night for their volleyball team, with a large crowd accumulated in the stands and a Varsity team that sported nearly all seniors. Regardless of the commotion, NC held their own while the Mustangs maintained their tough-to-beat record.
“We started the week off practicing really hard, and it reflected on the court,” senior and defensive specialist Isabella Rodriguez said.
From the moment the first game began at 6:00 p.m., the two teams held close scores. The rivalry between the Mustangs and the Warriors showed through every groan of frustration and shout of victory.
Bringing their best, NC began the first set with a narrow lead of 13 to 10, keeping the heat on, prompting the Mustangs to call a timeout after noting repeated mistakes. The score varied on every serve, constantly fluctuating from one to two point leads and then again falling back to a tie.
“We had a disciplined defense and we were able to run our middle a lot more than usual. The team came out ready to play and we had a lot of heart during the game,” Rodriguez said.
Spending hours together, the team developed a strong connection stemming from communication. The group will push forward into games, leaning on each other and their discipline. “I think we will continue to work hard in practice and work on staying disciplined throughout the game. We will work on our communication and trusting each other on the court to make sure we can finish a game in favor of us,” Rodriguez said.
With constant saves by Rodriguez and hard dives by senior Jada Reed, Kennesaw Mountain felt the pressure. After a long set, the score sat at 25-24, holding the game hostage until one team could manage to gain a lead of two points. With bated breath, the crowd waited 11 close rallies to see Kennesaw Mountain win with a score of 29 to 27.
Following NC’s loss of the first set, the Mustangs defeated the Warriors again during their second set with a score of 25 to 18. However, the loss of the first two sets left no room for error in the third since the last set guaranteed a Kennesaw Mountain victory.
NC’s fighting spirit shined throughout the third set. It lasted the longest of the three sets with the girls constantly diving and digging for anything in their way. A tie held for most of the game, but unfortunately after a highly contested call from the referee, Kennesaw Mountain shifted the tie in their favor and eventually won the set with a score of 26 to 21 continuing their win streak in regionals.
“I am super proud of my team this year with everything we have overcome and I am very optimistic that we will continue to do well and advance to the playoffs. I am really going to miss high school volleyball once it is over, and I am super blessed that I was able to experience it with these girls,” Rodriguez said.
