On Monday, September 26th, the West Branch Volleyball team defeated Central Mountain with set scores of 25-15, 21-25, 25-22, 13-25, and 19-17. Going into the match, the Lady Warriors knew it would be a test of physical and mental endurance. The team who played with the most heart would go home with a win.
The Lady Warriors came out hot in the first set, firing on all cylinders, and would not let the Lady Wildcats gain any momentum. The next set displayed some struggles on both sides of the court, but ultimately the Lady Wildcats came out on top. After the second set, the team huddled up to discuss a different approach with head coach Terry Trude and assistant coach Mollie Niedrick. The two teams battled it out in the third set, each wanting to take the lead in the game, but the Lady Warriors won. The fourth set proved to be the set where the Lady Warriors struggled to find any real momentum, so the Lady Wildcats took advantage and found the Lady Warriors’ weak spots. After the fourth set, the Lady Warriors met with Coach Trude about what they needed to do to beat the Lady Wildcats.
Volleyball players never want to go to set five, but when the game goes on for that long, they must battle hard if they expect to be victorious. At the start of the fifth, the West Branch was down 12-6 to host Central Mountain before junior libero Shianna Hoover stepped back to the line and went on a seven-point service run. Hoover brought the Lady Warriors back up to 13-12. After her run, the momentum slowly moved back to the Lady Warriors’ side of the court. The two teams battled it out, leaving all the energy on the court. In volleyball, you have to win each set by two points. During the fifth set, the teams kept tying the score and surpassing the 15-point mark. Finally, the Lady Warriors ended it at 19-17 to win the match.
The Lady Warriors will be back in action on Tuesday, September 27th, @ Bellwood-Antis High School. Their next home game is on Thursday, September 29th, against Curwensville. Junior Varsity plays at 6:00 p.m., and Varsity follows at 7:00 p.m. Bring your Warrior spirit and come out to support the Lady Warrior Volleyball team!
Player Statistics
Katrina Cowder: 19 kills, six blocks, eight service points, and two aces
Marley Croyle: 13 kills
Shianna Hoover: 22 digs, 13 service points, and two aces
Matayha Kerin: six kills and four service points
Brooklyn Myers: 20 assists, eight service points, and two aces
