The Winter Springs varsity girls volleyball team instilled some healthy fear into the Edgewater Eagles with their intense warm up routines. The buzzer went off and the girls huddled with their respective teams. We may never know what the coaches say in those groups, but it always seems to hype up the girls. 

The game started with a serve from Edgewater. The starting lineup: 1, 2, 3, 7, 12, and 13. We got the point and Natalie Faulkner stepped up to serve. Very soon during the first time out, the scoreboard read home: 6, guest 1. Number 2, Kristie Hudson popped a strong jump serve. Unfortunately, the point went to Edgewater after our girls missed a pass. Luckily, we quickly got the ball back after a kill from WSHS. It was once again time for Faulkner to serve. We won the point after the Eagles hit the ball out. The score turned 13, 6. 

Later in the game, a player from Edgewater decently served the ball, but in the end, we got the point. A’siya Magazine, number 7, grew very prominent during the game. She hit kill after kill, really proving her worth. The score became  23, 11 after a short serve from the other side. After a brief period, it turned time for Kendall Sines (11) to serve. She stepped up to the line, tossed up the ball, and it went smack in between the shocked girls from Edgewater, an ace for the win. We won the first set 25 to 11. 

The starting line up for set 2 consisted of 1, 2, 5, 7, 12, and 13. Our first point came after a failed hit from the Eagles. Teamwork is essential. Our girls understood this and had great communication all throughout the game. Because of this, the set from 9, Lauren Vargo, to Magazine that led to a point gain for WSHS went so smoothly. Eventually, Edgewater served again, but of course we got the point after a kill from Hannah White (1). Edgewater was fairly predictable, but many heads turned after a very strong and very abrupt hit from their player. No one saw it coming, but it became an insignificant blip in the game. At time out, the scoreboard read 12, 4. 

Naturally, the team serving the ball alternated, but WSHS remained in the lead the whole time. The Eagles played well, but we were simply more powerful. This game did not particularly have a whole lot of super intense “edge-of-my-seat” or “bite-my-nails” moments, but acute vollies presented themselves frequently because the players used their A-game the entire time no matter how the game looked. Well, almost the entire time. Maybe she couldn’t handle the pressure, maybe she served “weirdly” in her mind, either way, the Edgewater girl’s serve came short, falling into the net allowing Winter Springs to win the second set 25 to 9. 

The starting line up of the third set consisted of regulars and some new faces: 2, 5, 7, 9, 12, and 13. Edgewater served and got the first three points. Would the third set lead to a fourth? Were our girls getting cocky? No and never. The score changed to 1, 3 after a kill from Zoe Chu, number 5. We were back at it again; the beginning was just a little tease to keep things interesting. Our girls quickly evened out the score and soon surpassed the Eagles. They did get a point after a WSHS player hit the ball into the antenna on the net and another when no one went to continue the pass after 2 heroically saved the ball. We got the ball back after and overshot from Edgewater. 

Set three transpired as the closest set yet. A lot of back-and-forth of point gains occurred in the beginning, but towards the end, WSHS really powered through. Credit where credit is due: Edgewater had a good defence set up, but they lacked the power that would push them towards victory. A couple moments of hesitation kept the crowd’s attention, but we had the game in the bag, and everyone knew it. Winter Springs won the third set 25 to 14 after an ace from Vargo. Cheers erupted from all the WSHS parents. 

Crowd and athletes alike shared post game thoughts. JV volleyball player Sara Gardener commented on the game with a smile, “we completely destroyed them; they stood no chance against the proud Bears.” Number 12, Nicole Wilson, called the game “fantastic and high-energy.” One student Sarah Curran believed the downfall of the other team was their offensive side. 

Team Captain Vargo said “the other team’s energy was not as high as ours.” She continued to say that the strongest time was at the start of set one by calling it “exhilarating and pressuring.” She closed by congratulating her teammates saying “I am so proud of our team and that we were able to pull through to the end and win district finals.” 

Coach Mallard also received cheers after the game and noted her thoughts about why we did so well. She explained, “We maintained a high level competition and team comradery.” Her statement to the team: “Congratulations, ladies. I am so proud, and I could not be happier to be a part of your legacy. ”