“We came, won quickly and left.”
Captain Alexa Mathisen’s short, blunt summary of the varsity volleyball game against Buckingham Christian on Sept. 30 was accurate. The Cavs beat the Knights, 3-0, in a little over an hour.
The girls’ six-game winning streak brings their record to 7-1.
Sophomore libero Katia Dahmani said that she was a little apprehensive about the game because of their lack of practice this week. (Co-coaches Sarah Song and Jason Kreps said they did not hold practice because the girls had played in a 13-hour long tournament on Sept. 26 and needed a break.)
In the first set, the Cavs were initially unprepared for the Knights passing the ball over on their first touch. However, the Cavs ended up winning 25-15. Mathisen said that the girls should have won by more, but the slippery floor and flat ball hindered them.
“(The first set) was slow,” Mathisen said, “but it was funny when I almost fell a bunch of times from sprinting on the really slippery floor.”
Part of the reason why the set was slow, according to Dahmani, was the Knights’ struggle with returning the ball to the Cavs’ side after a serve.
In the second set, Kreps changed the lineup and put in more subs. Mathisen said the change was a smart move because it gave every player good playing time.
It took the Cavs a while to get adjusted, which allowed the Knights to catch up, but the Cavs ended up winning, 25-21.
In the final set, the Cavs finished with a 25-16 win.
Dahmani said that although the Knights were a pretty easy team, the lack of practice this week was detrimental.
“We were a little off,” Dahmani said.
Mathisen said that the Cavs served really well throughout the match, but they struggled with ignoring a group of middle-school boys who cheered for the Knights.
“They were very loud and distracting,” Mathisen said.
Sophomore Annya Dahmani and junior Avi Bhullar did not play because Annya was sick and Bhullar was attending a PSAT course.
Mathisen said that she wishes that the Cavs could play Woodland Christian, the only team they’ve lost to, again.
“With a few more games under our belt and more experience as a team, we might have won,” Mathisen said, “but I am very happy with how the team is playing right now. Our team dynamic is very cohesive, and we have been focusing on keeping well rested and balanced between school and volleyball.”
Song said that based on the girls’ performance recently, she believes that the Cavs will go to section championships this season.
“That’s why we work so hard at practice, games and tournaments,” Song said.
The Cavs play the Knights again at Country Day’s Homecoming game, Oct. 23.
The girls’ next game will be at home at 5 p.m. against Bradshaw Christian, whose record was 9-9 as of Sept. 30. The annual Sports Boosters’ Chili Cook-Off will also take place from 6-8:30 p.m.
—By Sonja Hansen
