Set to Serve: Springs Volleyball Kicks Off the Fall Season
The shout of “1, 2, 3, SPRINGS!” echoed in the Indian Springs School Gym as the JV and Varsity Volleyball teams kicked off their season against Jefferson Christian Academy (JCA) last Tuesday (August 25th).
Springs JV Claims the Opening Match
The JV team set the atmosphere for the night’s games early on, with both Gabby Davis and Audrey Hurt landing service aces that injected immediate energy in The Swamp (Indian Springs crowd). The back-row defense held tight, with libero Zoe Levine turning what looked like a guaranteed kill from JCA into a perfect transition for a Springs point. At this point, the crowd seemed to notice the good flow and was beginning to sense a victory.
After a series of strong plays by JCA, they brought the score to 8-7 (home-JCA); subtle anxiety settled over The Swamp. Over the next 10 points, the atmosphere grew tense as the lead changed hands like a chaotic seesaw battle. Key plays kept the Springs team afloat: a spike by Elizabeth Morris from a tough, low set that would’ve made most hitters settle for a soft tip, a spectacular diving save by Gabby Davis that had the crowd tearing their vocal cords, and two clutch aces from Audrey Hurt. At 24-19 (home-JCA), a final service error from JCA sealed a 25-19 (home-JCA) victory for Springs in the first set.
The second set brought even more noise, with The Swamp standing to chant “Let’s Go Springs, Let’s Go (Clap x 3).” At 5-2 (home-JCA), Lua Nourani and Elizabeth Morris fused into an impenetrable wall at the net as they blocked a heavy JCA attack. The team was in the zone for the rest of the set, accompanied by the crowd bellowing “O-U-T, OUT!” whenever JCA’s ball hit outside the court lines. Set two ended in a 25-18 (home-JCA) victory, giving JV a 2-0 (home-JCA) match sweep!
Varsity Battles Through a Do-or-Die Set Three
Just ten minutes after the JV victory, Varsity took the court for warmups. As the time on the scoreboard hit zero, The Swamp stood right back up, fueled by the energy left over from the first match. Though JCA claimed the first point, Springs answered immediately with three back-to-back points.
At 13-7 (home-JCA), The Swamp celebrated by doing 13 pushups, with everyone counting along. Six points later, a clutch ace was scored, extending the lead to 19-14 (home-JCA). Following a series of aggressive attacks by both teams, Springs closed the first set 25-19 (home-JCA).
The electric home-court atmosphere directly impacted the play on the floor. “It was fabulous” Coach Box remarked on the student section’s support. “We as players and coaches feed off the energy in the crowd. To have people there cheering nonstop is probably the best thing we could ever ask for in a game.”
The second set proved to be a battle, with teams gaining points neck and neck early on. After a tough run which allowed for JCA to lead at 6-2 (JCA-home), Springs called a timeout to regroup. Emerging refreshed, Springs snatched the first two points after the timeout, but JCA responded with a heavy run to lead with 13-6 (JCA-home). At 14-6 (JCA-home), the play of the night unfolded; a breathless extended rally where neither team let the ball touch the ground. Though the point ultimately went to JCA, the sheer effort made The Swamp’s cheering decibel spike even higher for the next few points, sparking chants of “How high’s the net? Too high!” Despite a spectacular diving save at set point, JCA took set two 25-10 (JCA-home).
Following the setback, Coach Box focused on helping the team reset mentally before the deciding third set. “We talk about volleyball as a roller coaster of emotions and what not. You have really good highs, you have really hard lows, and you have to bounce out of them faster.” Coach Box explained. “Trying to eliminate their longer runs was our biggest idea for going to set three.”
The “do-or-die” third set opened with palpable tension hanging over both sides of the court. For Springs, it was especially important to shift away from the negative energy from the loss of the second set. Springs built a 6-3 (home-JCA) lead, maintaining a stable composure in response to JCA’s aggressive attacks. Fierce competition wasn’t only over the net though; as the bleachers of both schools were having a mini dance battle while this happened. The tension peaked at 9-7 (home-JCA) when a JCA hit landed right on the line; Springs fans were calling it “out”, while JCA fans were praying for an “in”. The judges officially determined it as an “in”, kicking off a point-for -point race to the finish line. Anxiety arose among The Swamp as the Varsity team trailed at 24-19 (JCA-home), but a final point loss ended the third set at 19-25 (JCA-home), and the match 2-1 (JCA-home) for the visitors.
Looking Ahead
The season opener provided a clear roadmap for the weeks ahead.
“We want to make sure that we are finishing plays in the strongest way possible,” said Coach Box regarding the main takeaway moving forward. “We're not just sending random balls over the net. We're putting balls on the other side of the court with the purpose of trying to either extend the rally or terminate the play.”
With a JV victory and a gritty performance from Varsity, Indian Springs Volleyball has set a good foundation for a very exciting season ahead!