Bolstered by the encouragement of teammates and the roar of the crowd, the girls varsity volleyball team—led by captains Sydney Mittel and Erin Lynch—faced off against the Libertyville Wildcats in a well-fought battle. Despite the initial adversity of losing their starting setter prior to the game, the Lions emerged victorious after two sets.
Despite the two set victory at 25-22 each—a clean victory on paper—every set was a close matchup. The second set proved to be a difficult fight; Libertyville gained a 7-3 lead that pressured the Lions into a timeout. After this timeout, the Lions secured the lead again after a five-point streak that allowed for the tight win.
“We played great when we were trying our best,” said head coach Charlie Curtin. “But we had mental lapses that led to struggles [in execution].”
These lapses—notable during Libertyville scoring drives—were accompanied by missed serves and sets that allowed the Wildcats to have a fighting chance.
“We’ve got to work on going 100% at all times,” said junior Erin Lynch, “and we can’t let mistakes hold us back.”
While there may be some points of correction for the team to work on in preparation for future games, the team made a statement in this game beyond the final score.
“We were positive throughout the whole game,” said Lynch. “We worked together and showed that, even in the low parts of the game, we are a team.”
This was clear to any observer; the Lions could be seen celebrating great plays and picking each other up after mistakes together.
“I was nervous before the game,” said sophomore Olive Meyers, who started on varsity for the first time in a last minute injury substitution. “But the older girls helped guide me.”
The team is preparing to take on Carmel High School in a rivalry game, but with the team unity that is evident, the Lions will be prepared to fight through the upcoming battles.
“This group never gives up,” said Coach Curtin. “That’s something that I am the most proud of them for.”