After two consecutive losses to division leader Benjamin N. Cardozo, the girls’ varsity volleyball team beat Bayside High School on October 17.  The game, which was won two sets to none, was a tough and hard fought game with a lot of hustle and scramble plays.

With a whole week off from divisional play, the girls got to practice and improve their communication, a weakness that has cost them.

This week of practice proved to be crucial in their victory.  Many of the drop calls that proved costly against Cardozo were avoided as the girls’ communication was much improved against Bayside.  Junior Janine Lim said that she was impressed with how many players “opened their mouths and took charge unlike in our other games where we seemed to be scared to say anything.”

This extra preparation also seemed to help the girls’ spirits with many of them being determined to end their two game losing streak.

Sophomore Tanja Miketic was really proud of the team and said that “the effort we put through the season and in these past practices were shown throughout this game.”  This effort included lots of hustle, which was highlighted during one “miracle play” as described by Janine.

During one long volley in the beginning of the second set, Senior Bianca Dilan had shanked a pass on a Bayside attack which was saved from falling all the way in the far gym corner by Junior Emma Noblesala.  Then Junior Debra Chan hit a long free over falling on the Bayside side, giving THHS a point and the momentum throughout the rest of the set (which was won 25-20) and the game.  In the first set (which was won 25-17), a similar play occurred where both Bianca and Emma made diving saves to help the team be in an attacking position and win the point.

The extra practice isn’t the only factor that helped the girls in their victory.  The new cheer of “Ooh kill em,” inspired by the song of the same name was started by Bianca and chanted after every kill (at the end of the game Townsend had a total of 13 kills).  Junior Lucy Lim, who had four of these kills felt that the cheer, which originally was a team joke helped take pressure off the team and let them “relax and have fun.”

The cheer of “Ooh kill em” is hoped to be a rally cry by the team and a winning factor for the rest of the season.  The girls’ will try to kill it in their next game against Francis Lewis High School on October 23.