By Shannon Kelly Sept 16, 2017
T he Lady Buccaneers came out victorious Saturday as they faced off Grace Christian for the volleyball championship,25-19. As you walked into the Valdez High School gymnasium you were met with sounds of whistles blowing and the ever-present squeak of athletic shoes against the hardwood floors.The energy both on and off the courts was high as 8 teams came to compete in the all-day tournament.
The Buccaneers felt the need to protect their own turf; they would not be beaten in their house. Each girl stepped on the court with confidence and strength, ready for the match. As Grace and Valdez settled in for their final match for the championship the crowd turned Blue. The bleachers were covered in very spirited fans wearing everything from bright blue and black wigs, pirate hats, face paint, and one fan had donned a light blue tuxedo-esque outfit to cheer on his team. Valdez came to represent.
After the final match I spoke with MVP #6 Sydney Johnson about her team’s victory. Johnson literally standing above her teammates at 6’ definitely has an advantage and her team uses this. She was constantly being set up for spikes throughout the match and used her height to play defensively and to make the blocks.
Johnson had very positive things to say about her teammates stating, “The setters have been doing really well this tournament and throughout the whole season and our passers, they have a really big job and I appreciate them.”
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And when asked if there was anything they could improve on Johnson said, “All the fundamentals were pretty well but we could have communicated better, we can always communicate better.”
Valdez, while never behind on points during the final game, continued to fight as if they were under. The Lady Bucs made sure their hits made an impact. Grace fought hard but ultimately minor mistakes let them trail behind and ended up being their downfall.
Johnson complimented the girls who played for Grace,
“Each girl came out today and I think really gave it their all.”
