UPrep’s volleyball team took down Seattle Christian for a 3-0 win on Sept. 17 for their second win of the year to improve their record to 2-2. The Pumas took the first set 25-14.
UPrep took set two 25-17, then finished off the game with a 25-10 win in set three.
“Tonight was another chance to work on little things and get ready for South Whidbey,” coach Leilani Moody said.
Junior libero Natalie Naness finished with 18 digs, leading the team for the second night in a row. Junior outside hitter Alicia Sun contributed with five kills, four digs, two assists, and an ace.
“I feel like we put the right people in at the right time, and they knew what they needed to do,” Moody said.
Senior outside hitter Sophie Whittaker led the team with 14 kills, while also tallying four blocks and an ace for a total of 19 points.
“We did a good job getting our hits over and controlling what we could,” Moody said.
Two days prior, the team suffered a 3-0 loss against Cedar Park Christian on Sept. 15. Cedar Park came in third at the state championship last year.
“We played to the best of our abilities last night,” senior right side hitter Alexa Angelone said. “It’s impressive that we stuck with them for as long as we did.”
UPrep came back from an 8-3 deficit in set 1, eventually tying the score at 20 before Cedar Park scored five in a row, winning the first set.
“I personally don’t think I played my best game,” Angelone said. “I could have done a better job staying out of my own head.”
Angelone finished the game with six digs and a block.
UPrep lost the second set 25-16.
The play of the game came late in the 3rd set with the score tied at 20. Freshman outside hitter/defensive specialist Olea Garz collided with Naness while attempting a diving save. Naness rolled over Garz, made the dig, and set up sophomore setter Harper Friedman for a deafening kill.
“I wasn’t really thinking about it,” Naness said. “We just had to get the ball up, and we got the ball up. You might get hurt, but it’s better we collide than nobody goes for it.”
Naness again led the way, finishing with 20 digs, along with a kill and four assists.
“Harper did a great job finishing the play and following through,” Angelone said.
Friedman finished with four kills, four aces, five digs, two assists, and a block, totalling nine points on the night.
The team opened the season with a crushing 3-2 home loss against Bush on Sept. 6, the same team that knocked them out of the third round of the playoffs last year.
“That’s still a little bit of a sensitive topic. Bush is always a huge game for us, and I felt like we could’ve gotten the win,” Naness said.
The Pumas took the first set 25-11, then lost the next two and evened it up with a 25-16 win in set four.
“I felt like the last few sets were sort of unnecessary. I feel like we should’ve put the game away earlier,” Naness said.
UPrep ultimately lost 15-9 in five sets in front of a boisterous Saturday afternoon crowd at the pumadome.
“Given that the last set goes to 15, every point is critical. Every point matters more than the last one,” Angelone said.
They followed that up with a sweep against Tyee on Sept. 11, winning set one 25-6.
“I played one of the best games of my career that day,” Angelone said. “I was getting up there for blocks, which is very unlike me.”
UPrep won a much more competitive second set 25-20, then finished the game with a 25-8 win in the final set.
“That was a great practice opportunity for our team,” Moody said. “We saw more things that we can work on, and we were still able to perform.”
The Pumas’ next game is Sept. 30 at South Whidbey, who are in third place in the league with an 0-4 record. UPrep sits in fifth at 2-2 as of Sept. 17.
“Against South Whidbey, we really need to focus on our serves,” Moody said. “Get the ball over to their side and let them make the mistakes.”
