TJ earns second place in League after the Crossover games Saturday.
Photo by Henry Jackson Jr.
Last Saturday, October 22, was a banner day for TJ Volleyball, having their most rivaled game of the season against Denver East.
After the tension created by East Friday, the ladies couldn’t wait to get out on the court. The game started off quickly, player after player on both sides hammering down balls. The excitement in the room was high, both teams eager to win. However, East started to gain momentum, leaving TJ in the dust ending the game 25 to 14.
It was a hard blow to the ladies, who desired nothing less than to come out with the win. The second game started off fast for the ladies, beginning with a big kill from Senior Mallory Baker. TJ kept the lead in the set until the score was 18 to 16 TJ. East was right with them, putting the pressure on the ladies. However the Angels began to play a little scrappier, with hit after hit not going down off East’s defense, the Spartan offense began to shut down, losing once again with a score of 22 to 25.
With Spartan pride the ladies weren’t ready to give up now, coming out their strongest so far. They kept the lead throughout the game, shutting down East’s offense and playing amazing defense. The ladies were loud on the court, helping the team to keep the momentum. With such great determination the ladies won big with a set score of 25 to 18. The fourth set was not as promising. Despite the excitement TJ had, they just couldn’t pull through with the win. They fought incredibly hard against the Angels, taking the game beyond a score of 25. East ended the game with a blocking error by TJ. The final score of the set was 26 to 24. The match ended with a score of 3 to 1 East.
The second match of the game was against Abraham Lincoln, the host of the tournament. After watching them take South to five games and ultimately losing, TJ stepped onto the court a little nervous, not sure what Lincoln had to come at them with. However, after losing against a huge rival, TJ was determined to finish out the day strong. Despite Lincoln’s scrappy defense and unusual offense – players running off-key plays TJ had never dealt with – the ladies prevailed in each set.The first two sets were finished quickly, the ladies sweeping with scores of 25 to 15 and 25 to 17.
Head Coach Kathleen Nickless always likes to move a few Junior Varsity girls up to Varsity for the Crossover and District games. “It’s a good experience for the players. They really get to see the pressure and intensity of a Varsity game, so now one day when they get moved up they will be prepared mentally for the challenge.” The exemplary players Nickless chose were Quinn Roder, Madison Firman, and Makaila Roybal. Usually these girls are never given any court time, but with the Varsity playing so well the team had a big lead and the freshmen were all put in. Freshman Quinn Roder was extremely nervous about the opportunity but nonetheless excited. “I felt so pumped to be playing with the best girls at TJ. I have so many friends on the team, my very own Senior Mallory Baker for example, so I got incredibly excited to be playing with them in the game. They were all so helpful and kind.” At one point in the game there were only Freshmen on the court, excluding Junior libero Angela Becker, who lead their defense. Together they played incredibly well for their first taste of a Varsity game and won the final set 25 to 22. The final score of the match was 3 to 0. The ladies ended placing 2nd in League.
The next game for the Spartans comes Saturday, October 29 when they host Districts. Attendees to the tournament will be Golden, Roosevelt, Mullen, and D’ Evelyn. To continue on to Regionals they must win against Golden or Roosevelt and then against Mullen or D’ Evelyn. The first match is against Golden at 9 a.m., so make sure to show your heaviest support for the ladies, because without some big wins this may in fact be your Lady Spartans’ final games.
Thursday 9/2 @ Arvada High School 7:00 pm (W 3-0)
Wednesday 9/7 Conifer High School @ TJ 7:00 pm(L 0-3)
Thursday 9/8 Westminster High School @ TJ 7:00 pm (W 3-0)
Saturday 9/10 @ Palmer Tournament (Fifth Place)
Tuesday 9/13 @ Golden High School 7:00 pm (L 1-3)
Monday 9/19 Alameda High School @ TJ 7:00 pm (W 3-0)
Thursday 9/22 George Washington High School @ TJ 7:00 pm (W 3-0)
Monday 9/26 @ Fountain Fort Carson High School 7:00 pm (W 3-0)
Tuesday 9/27 Denver West High School @ TJ 7:00 pm (W 3-0)
Tuesday 10/4 @ Denver North High School 7:00 pm (W 3-0)
Thursday 10/6 @ Kennedy High School 7:00 pm (W 3-1)
Wednesday 10/12 Standley Lake High School @ TJ 7:00 pm (L 2-3)
Thursday 10/13 @ South High School 7:00 pm (W 3-1)
Wednesday 10/19 @ Rock Canyon High School 7:00 pm (L1-3)
Friday 10/21 @ Evergreen High School 7:00 pm (L 0-3)
Saturday 10/22 League Crossovers @ Kennedy 2:00 pm (Second Place)
Saturday 10/29 Districts @ TJ 9:00 am
