The girls varsity volleyball team held their own in a three-set match, ultimately losing 14-25 in the third set against the Stevenson Patriots on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.
The Wildcats fought hard in the first set, fighting against Stevenson’s skill and finally emerging victorious with a close victory of 26-24.
“We battled back in the first set,” Mr. Greg Loika, the team’s head coach, said. “We were down maybe four or five points, but by the middle to late part of the set, we started to play really aggressively. We were passing well and blocking them better and once we were doing that, it slowed down what they were trying to do.”
The Wildcats received a harsh response from Stevenson, who surged ahead near the end of the second set and won 25-20. Near the beginning of the set, the Wildcats had continued their initial momentum, establishing a brief lead over Stevenson. Despite this, the Wildcats struggled in the midgame when faced against the taller opponents.
“[They had] three hitters that were all bigger than ours that were coming at us,” Mr. Loika mentioned. “That was tough to deal with.”
Stevenson used their size to maintain a five point lead and close out the set.
During the third set, Stevenson managed to pull away from the home team and maintained a strong six point lead, eventually wresting the win from the Wildcats with a final score of 25-14 in favor of the visiting team.
Regardless of the game’s outcome, both teams were grateful to have the opportunity to support the well-known and respected cause of breast cancer awareness. The Wildcat team members and the crowd showed their support through pink uniforms and attire.
“A lot of people in our sphere have been impacted by breast cancer specifically,” Mr. Loika noted. “It’s always fun to play for a cause bigger than ourselves and an opportunity to do that in front of a lot of our fans was really good as well.”
Many of the audience members donated via QR code to support breast cancer research and all of the funds from the concession stand sales have gone toward the cause as well.
The Wildcats will play their final game away against the Grant Bulldogs on Tuesday, Oct. 24, in Fox Lake.