JV Orange Volleyball Starts Season Off Strong with Win Against Judson Rockets

Sabrina Kim, Heritage Co-Chief| August 24, 2022

  • With no small amount of enthusiasm, the team’s libero, Tate McCarthy ‘25 hypes her teammate up with a smile and a high five. As a libero, it was part of her job to support the team not just in defense, but in morale and excitement as well. “We finally clicked in this game, so it felt really good,” McCarthy said.

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  • As a serve comes soaring over, outside hitter Emily Morel ‘25 hones her laser-sharp focus on her pass. Throughout the whole game, serve receive like this was one of the Warriors’ biggest strengths, due in no small part to Morel’s consistency. “The pressure’s not getting to me like it used to,” Morel said.

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  • Diving just before the net, Dakota Hodge ‘26, one of the team’s setter’s, digs the ball moments before it touches the ground. She was one of only three freshmen to make the JV Orange team in her first year, and was playing all-around for the very first time. “[Making JV Orange] made me feel really proud about myself, because I’ve been working really hard, and it’s what I’ve been wanting,” Hodge said.

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  • While the Warriors struggle to maintain a lead, Mia Massey ‘25 lunges forward to take a jump serve. Jump serves, a more difficult technique to execute, are much more unpredictable and harder for the opponents to receive – and Massey’s use of them led to lots of serving success. “Our serving was strong. We were trying to meet some goals, in serving, so that was good – not too many missed serves,” Massey said.

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In a gym bursting with cheers and chants, the JV Orange volleyball team pulled off an impressively decisive win in just two sets against the Judson Rockets on Tuesday, Aug. 23.

“Our game was really on today,” outside hitter Dakota Hodge ‘26 said. “We worked really well as a team.” 

And play they did. Hodge opened with a strong serve, and though the first point was lost to the Rockets, the home team reclaimed the ball in nearly no time. Possession volleyed back and forth for most of the first set, but a couple of well-timed serving runs clinched the victory.

“We definitely played together,” outside hitter Emily Morel ‘25 said. “It was a really great start to the school season, especially for a home game.”

In the second set, there was considerably less pushback and confidence on behalf of Judson – despite them winning the first point of the set again. Once steam started building, there was no stopping JV Orange. They held an unrelenting grip on the ball, even as the Rockets called two timeouts, hoping to kill the momentum. Hodge held the serve for 14 points, pushing the tides of the game in the Warriors’ direction and ultimately sealing the final victory. Their first home game and first win set spirits and expectations high for the rest of the season.

“I’m looking forward to us building a team together,” outside hitter Mia Massey ‘25  said. “And keep winning, against Round Rock and Vandegrift – playing strong.”

Westwood Volleyball plays their next game at Volleypalooza, on Thursday, Aug. 25. Their first district game is on Friday, Sep. 9.