On Monday Aug. 22, the varsity volleyball team defeated the Gateway Gators 3-0 in a packed match that had the whole student section loud and on their feet. The ladies not only showed off their ability to win in the first two sets, but also showed the poise it takes to make a comeback when losing.
“I think that last night was a step up from how we have been playing,” Julia Hopkins ‘24 said. “We really clicked and definitely played great, it was a good win for our first home game.”
The Warriors started off the first set strong with good overall connection and well-placed finishes. Offensively, they sent in kill after kill, exhausting Gateway’s defense. On top of that the ladies managed to defend the Gators’ attacks efficiently, giving them good opportunities at net. Although Gateway was playing efficiently as well, Westwood’s fast-paced attacks proved difficult for them to combat. Thanks to their strong start to the game, the Warriors spent the entire first set in the lead and earned their first win of the match.
The Lady Warriors entered the second set with the same energy. Setter Rachel Cai ‘24 and Hopkins set up a plethora of powerful hits down the middle of the court, leaving the Gators defense stunned. Similar to the previous set, Westwood started in the lead and remained there for the rest of the set.
The third set began with an unexpected change of pace. Although the ladies entered the potential final set of the match with their same energy and intensity, the Gators drastically stepped up their game. Previously, Westwood managed to intercept many of Gateway’s hits, however in this set the Gators began to place their hits in clever pockets within the court. With the majority of these hits, Westwood struggled to react quickly enough to reach the ball and when they did they struggled to execute a sufficient pass. Gateway gained a strong lead, eventually putting them 10 points ahead. Despite this challenge, the Warriors did not back down. They gradually caught up in points through a series of well-executed serves and kills that had the student section going wild. This success upgraded their overall energy and confidence on the court. At set point with the score at 20-24, the lady warriors continued their comeback. They earned point after point, surpassing Gateway and winning the match.
“It was a great game overall,” Cai said. “The student section really showed out, and their energy really helped us with the win. The first and second set were great, and we really came back in the third set. We were down by 9 or 10 points at one point, but I’m really proud we still pulled off the sweep.”
The Lady Warriors will play their opening regular seasons game this Tuesday, Aug. 29, at 6:30 at Lake Travis.
