With no weight on their shoulders, the JV volleyball team swept Highland, a nonconference foe, on Aug. 22 with scores of 25-18,25-16.
“I definitely think that [there being less pressure played a role] in [the game] since it wasn’t a conference game. It was more like a scrimmage game, and we didn’t have to worry about it affecting our score,” Hope Huenecke (10) said.
The game, while it had no effect on conference records, was still important to the team. Being the first home game of the season, the team had a different vibe than normal.
“It was nerve wracking at first, but it was also really fun to see everyone so happy and pumped for the game. I think that made me feel more comfortable,” Mackenzie Kusbel (9) said.
With a big rivalry game against Munster the next day, the team was looking to improve upon a few minor details.
“I definitely wanted [the team] to be louder and more aggressive because Munster is a tougher team, so the way we played Highland is definitely not the way that we would play Munster,” Huenecke said.
The roster is not only dominated by sophomores, three freshmen also contribute to the JV squad.
“[Being a freshman on JV] made me nervous at first, but once I got to know everyone;it’s incredible. It is a great opportunity to be on JV, it just reminds me of how much I love the game of volleyball, and it reminds me to always work hard and stay positive,” Kusbel said.
The team gained another win under its belt, but the girls are also looking towards the futures matches.
“Our team goal is to win the DAC and the Marian Tournament at the end of the season,” Kailey Lessentine (10) said.
