![Preparing to spike the ball, Lila Wellington '27 leaps to set the ball for her teammate so that she can get the kill. The Warriors had their first district win against McNeil. "I think [going into this game] we just remembered what we were playing for," Wellington said. "We really needed this win and we went out there wanting to win so we took it."](https://westwoodhorizon.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/IMG_9828-1200x673.jpg)
Varsity Volleyball grasped their first district win on Friday, Sept. 13 against the McNeil Mavericks, sweeping them 3-0.
The Warriors started their game with warm-ups, hyping themselves up off the crowd and each other. Soon the Warriors took the court by storm, scoring the first point of the set. Next, a series of strong hits, led by Harper Zoll ‘25 brought the Warriors 6-1 over the Mavericks. Throughout the set, Zoll continued her streak in long rallies and quick hits. The Warriors continued to hold a heavy lead over the Mavericks as powerful blocks from Grace McCluskey ‘26 kept Westwood ahead to 8-1. Rocketing the Warriors forward, Lila Wellington ‘27 maintained the dominance bringing Westwood 13-4, forcing a timeout from McNeil. Although the Mavericks returned from the timeout with a strategy that netted them a few more points, the Warriors went on a 3-point run, soon putting the Warriors 24-10, forcing another Maverick timeout. Although the game started with a large lead from the Warriors, the Mavericks seemed to be catching up. However, McNeil soon made a mistake, scoring the Warriors their final point and winning them the set 25-10.
Once again, the Warriors scored the first point of the next set. However, soon the sets differentiated as the second set started much closer than the first. Continuing their effort, Evans scored a point with a strong hit to bring the Warriors 3-2, but soon the Mavericks retaliated, bringing the score 3-3. But, after a 4-point run from the Warriors, McNeil called a timeout with the score at 11-5. Following the timeout, the Warriors continued to drill many points into the Mavericks, leading to another long run from the Warriors that forced a fourth timeout out of McNeil at 18-6. The timeout yet again proved fruitful to the Mavericks putting the game closer than where they left it. Although McNeil played a stronger game this set, they never had a lead over the Warriors, now nearing the end of the set. Finally, in a crowd-deafening finish, a kill from Ava Moncada ‘25 brought the Warriors to 25-11, winning them the set.
“We just have to really power through [rallies],” Wellington said. “I think it’s a lot better when all of us are giving 100% all the time. We all work together.”
Continuing the tradition, the Warriors scored the first point of the set after a long rally and a strong hit from McCluskey. Next, an ace from Dakota Hodge ‘26 brought Westwood to 5-3. Soon, however, this streak of domination would come to a close as the Mavericks continued to stay close to the Warriors, despite multiple quick kills from the front line putting the Warriors 11-10 as they barely inched out the Mavericks. Soon after, in a quick comeback, Emma Waghorne ‘27 scored two back-to-back points for Westwood, bringing them to 20-13, forcing yet another McNeil timeout. But this did not stop Waghorne as she came back and scored another point to bring the Warriors to 22-14. Although the Warriors amassed a lead quickly in the third set, the game end was prolonged as the Mavericks upped their game, bringing the set 24-18. The end of the third set had the audience on the edge of their seat as shortly, the Warriors ended up taking the win for the final set with a final score of 25-18.
“One [factor in winning] was attitude,” Chloe Paddock ‘25 said. “We were really confident in our abilities to win because we’re a good team, we have really good players, and I think a good warm-up [helped] too.”
Varsity Volleyball will play their next game at Round Rock High School against the Round Rock Dragons on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 6:30 p.m.
