The Girls Varsity Volleyball Team defeated the Incarnate Word Academy Red Knights at home winning two of three games, Sept. 30.

After an even start to the first game, the Red Knights began to pull away at the end of the first game, taking a 16-14 lead and turning it into a 25-17 victory in the first game.

After the disappointing loss in the first game the Wildcats needed someone to spark the team and help lead them to victory.

Before the second game began, Katrina Aliano, hitter, arrived from another obligation and immediately began to intensify the team for the remainder of the match.

“When Katrina walked in it sparked them,” Ms. Debra Title, head coach, said. “She’s someone that can touch the ball a hundred times or not touch it once, but whatever happens she’ll turn it up.”

Another factor that aided the comeback following the first game was shaking up the lineup and relying on a few players who had terrific games.

Both Amanda Oldenburg, outside hitter, and Alexa McAndrew, outside hitter, had four kills (a hit that touches the ground with little or no resistance from the other team) which led the team and they also moved around the court and carried the team for the majority of the game.

“The reason we won was our two outside hitters,” Coach Title said. “They were both having great games so we asked them to do everything. We asked them to pass, play defense, block and we asked them to serve and that’s a lot for those two girls.”

The spark of Aliano and the great all-around play of Oldenburg and McAndrew helped lead the team to a 25-19 bounce-back win in the second game.

The third game of the match was a dominant 25-14 win over the Red Knights.

Tori Giesing, libero, had an impressive performance allowing very few balls to hit the court.

“The main reason we were so dominant in the third was that Tori Giesing wouldn’t let the ball hit the ground,” Coach Title said. “She takes it personally when the other team scores and she does a great job preventing that.”

Incarnate Word Academy was doomed after the end of the first when the Wildcats’ intense leader arrived, the strategy was adjusted and many individuals began to step up.

The next game for the Wildcats is on the road at Marquette, Oct. 4.