With strong offensive efforts, the varsity boys volleyball team won against the LHS Vikings on March 13, sweeping all three sets.
The game started off strong, with both teams scoring points and aiming to gain an early lead. With minor mistakes by the Mustangs, the Vikings took advantage of the perimeter defensive line, scoring the first few points of set 1, making it 0-2.
After a quick position change, outside hitter Owen Ouyang received a pass along the net and spiked the ball down to tie the score at 5-5.
With a strong comeback from the Mustangs, the energy was at an all-time high, Ouyang said. The shift in momentum helped the team to regain focus, push forward and play at their best.
“We started a little slow, but once we found our rhythm, the energy on the court really picked up,” Ouyang said. “After that, we were just making play after play.”
Maintaining the lead throughout the first set, the Mustangs took the first win, ending with a score of 25-19.
Building off the win, the Mustangs kicked off the second set strong. After a precise set, outside and opposite hitter, sophomore Shourya Batra hit a quick spike between the Vikings’ defensive line, pushing the Mustangs’ lead to a score of 15-9.
This play helped the Mustangs maintain their momentum during the set, allowing the team to build confidence and continue running more offensive plays, Batra said.
“We might not have gotten perfect passes every time, but we were consistent with every ball,” Batra said. “We managed to make sure the ball doesn’t hit the ground, and that’s the most important part of volleyball.”
After a dominant second set performance ending at 25-14, the Mustangs carried that same intensity into the third set.
Early in, opposite, senior Krishna Arvind soared in the air after a quick return from the Vikings, blocking the ball from making it past the net, keeping the score 1-0.
With one last attempt to take the set, the Vikings shifted to a more aggressive approach, sending powerful attacks across the net in hopes of closing the gap. The new playstyle worked in their favor, bumping the score to 6-7.
However, the Mustangs maintained their composure by keying in on both offense and defense, ending the game with one last shot from Ouyang, sealing a final 3-0 tally.
Reflecting on the match, the team hopes to improve on communication and consistency, Arvind said.
“Because of that positive attitude in the gym, I’ve been able to improve so much, and there’s still more to improve on,” Arvind said. “We need to keep our energy high throughout the game, regardless of how down we are, because the game’s not over till it’s over.”
The Mustangs will face the Vikings again on April 8 for a rematch.
