All under one net
After Jennifer Blanc served the ball to the opposing team, who looked determined to make a comeback after losing the first set of the match, it was just a matter of time.
Pulsing silence was the soundtrack to the match winning point. Mesmerized eyes from the crowd followed the ball as it flew back and forth over the net. A soft hit by Emily Paciulla had a massive impact, and the Franklin players failed to return it.
And with that the game was over and the silence was broken by the energized crowd. The DHS women’s junior varsity volleyball team beat Franklin 2-0 and continued their undefeated winning streak for the season. Both sets ended in DHS beating Franklin 25-14.
“We just ended the first round of the league,” JV Head Coach Lyndsay Cantrell said. “I’m really proud of these girls.”
The sets were defined by the team’s strong support for one another. After every point, the team would huddle up and give each other encouraging words.
Nicole Desideri, a senior at DHS who just began assisting the coach this year, says that the girls work really well together. There sense of unity is one of their greatest strengths.
“We really try our hardest to communicate with each other and work as a team on the court instead of as individuals,” sophomore player Emily Paciulla said.
During the first set, DHS held the lead firmly throughout. But Franklin started to put forth a stronger effort during the second set. It was 12-12 when the intensity was momentarily disrupted by a time out.
After the set resumed, DHS held their ground and refused to give Franklin more than two points. They carried the game all the way to the winning finish.
Makena Sherwood played a strong serving game and scored with seven serves in the first set and six in the second, even serving an ace. Daniel Bonetti, who plays on the varsity men’s volleyball team and observed the game, called Sherwood an “excellent setter.”
The libero Kimmy Siu, a freshman at Holmes Junior High School, also played a strong game. But the whole team deserves recognition; they played together as a unit.
“We hang out every day after school, all the sophomores,” Blanc said. “We are really close.” Other sophomores on the team include Lauren Smith, Julia Fisk, Chelsea Sacramento, Anna Hodgson, and Zoe Hunt-Murray.
The varsity women’s next game is at DHS against Grant, on Wed. 10/19. To prepare for their games, “[the team] tries to work on what we haven’t done well on in the past,” Anna Hogdson said.
The team definitely won’t need to work on their communication skills or spirit. The JV team already seemed eager to take on their next opponent after their victory.
