Despite barely making it through the first set, the Cavs triumphed over the Faith Christian Lions, 3-0, on Oct. 29.
“(The game) was closer than it should’ve been, but we still pulled through and kicked butt,” said junior Isabelle Leavy.
Sophomore Yasmin Gupta and senior Sydney Michel attributed their slow start to players missing practices this week and their tiredness from a long week full of tests. Sophomore Kyra Petersen said that she definitely felt beat from the long week.
“Staying up late to study for all those tests and the stress really took it out of me,” Petersen said. “My spirit wasn’t as loud as I (wanted) it to be.”
But despite the Cavs’ exhaustion, Gupta said she was never worried.
“(We) always manage to pull through,” Gupta said.
Gupta’s confidence was fitting. The Cavs pulled out a close win, 26-24, at the end of the first set.
“Our first (set) was way too close,” Michel said. “But the other team was also fighting more than last time because they were at home and it was their senior night.”
Michel said that the Cavs performed better in the second set because they were warmed up and fighting to maintain their record of not losing any sets in any of their league matches this season.
“(Our record) gives us more motivation to keep that record untarnished,” Michel said.
The Cavs maintained a stronger lead in the second set, winning 25-15.
In the final set, the girls finished victoriously, 25-14.
But Gupta said the refs called many lifts and under-the-net (when players step over the boundary under the net) violations.
“Sometimes refs overuse their powers and call more than necessary,” Leavy said. “It’s frustrating when it favors the other team. I could tell (coach) Sarah (Song) was getting frustrated, but it happens, and I guess you get used to it.”
As it was the Lions’ senior night, there were two Lion mascots and a student section in the crowd. However, Leavy said that she thought the crowd was pretty indifferent.
“Considering it was senior night, their support was surprisingly minimal,” she said.
Head coach Jason Kreps came back early from the middle-school class trip he was chaperoning to attend the match.
But Gupta said that she wished that the boys’ soccer team, who had faced off in a soccer game earlier, had stayed for their match.
The Cavs next face the Sac Adventist Capitals at home at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 2; the Cavs beat the Capitals, 3-0, in their previous match.
“(We) were able to win easily, so it shouldn’t be too hard!” Michel said. “But we’re ready to bring our A game.”
—By Sonja Hansen
