By Graham Karr
On September 9, the Mustangs traveled to Blue Hill to take on the Blue Hill Bobcats for a thrill-seeking matchup. The 1-4 Bobcats and the 3-3 Mustangs went head-to-head for arguably their best games of the season. The game kept everyone on the edge of their seats with the leads going back and forth. Both teams were on top of their game; the Bobcats won the first and fourth sets (27-25 and 25-20), and the Mustangs won the second and third sets (25-21 and 25-21). It came down to the wire. Who could score and be the first to fifteen? The set never got too far out of reach for each team. In the end, the mustangs came out victorious with a 15-13 victory. Leading the way with kills was senior MaKenna Karr with 17. Sophomore Libby Soucek had four of the team’s 10 aces. When asked about the fifth set, Coach Crowe said, “Even with a few missed serves, the girls maintained high energy and positive attitudes, staying focused on finishing strong. They encouraged each other, trusted their training, and leaned on their strengths. Our defense, in particular, was outstanding and played a huge role in securing the win.”
The next game for that week was another Twin Valley Conference match-up against Shelton. This game took place on September 11; the Mustangs took on one of the toughest games of the season. The Mustangs came out on fire in the first set. They were really playing as a team, which propelled them to the 25-22 win. The next set, Shelton answered right back, and they did it quickly. Shelton then went on to win the next three sets (25-15, 25-16, and 25-19), but not before the Mustangs gave everything they had. When asked about the game, Coach Rupprecht said, “I felt like we came out super strong and ready to play during the first set. We had the momentum the entire set and played with a lot of confidence. I think Shelton adjusted a little in the second and third sets, but we didn’t play as energized or competitive. I thought we came out and worked harder during the fourth set and played with a little more fire. We are still trying to find the consistency piece of the game and working to keep the energy high and the momentum on our side of the court after mistakes and lost points. Overall, I’m proud of the girls. They didn’t give up against a very talented team.”