Blazers get served by Barons

SEPT. 29, BETHESDA CHEVY CHASE—

Excitement was brewing this afternoon as the varsity girls' volleyball team made its way towards Bethesda-Chevy Chase high school. The Blazers hoped to ameliorate their losing record, end their current losing trend and gain some momentum for the rest of the season with a win against a talented Baron team. Unfortunately, Blair was unable to overcome difficulties in communication and focus, and they lost in three sets, 14-25, 22-25, and 14-25, simultaneously lowering their record to 2-5.

The Blazers looked lost on the court from the very start of the first set. Teammates did not help each other make plays, giving the Barons extra confidence and easy points, which Blair could never regain. "It took us a while to warm-up," explained sophomore Julie Brice. The whole first set appeared to be a warm-up for Blair, as the team failed to find any real consistency or rhythm due to poor serving. Many serves went straight into the net and Blair did not score one ace during the set.

By the middle of the first set Blair was losing 13-21 and desperate to raise the score. After many volleys back and forth, Blair was able to kick their aggression up a notch and become more competitive. First, Brice blocked a Baron return to provide Blair with a quick boost. On one the next plays sophomore Julie Zhu made a diving save as the ball fell within inches of the court, after which junior Alice Fan spiked the ball over the net, ending the volley with a point for Blair. Unfortunately Blair did not take gain any real momentum after Fan's spike and lost the set 14-25.

Blair, reversed their play early in the second set and started strong, staying even with Barons until the score was 6-6. While Blair prevented a large deficit from amounting within the set, the Barons were able to slowly pull away due to a continued lack of communication within the Blair team. Often no one called for the ball, and as a result Blazers ran into each other, tripped over each other, or waited too long for someone else to hit the ball. The Barons took an easy advantage over Blair by accumulating points with little effort. "We're not playing as a team," summarized junior Felicia Olawuni after the game.

Blair's lack of teamwork and communication reached its climax when after several volleys, Zhu and Olawuni each attempted to return the same Baron volley. Both of the players kept their eyes on the descending ball, so as Zhu stopped moving and crouched to hit the ball, Olawuni kept moving and tripped over her. Zhu managed to hit the ball, but the contact with Olawuni made it impossible for Zhu to lift the ball over the net. The rest of the set followed a similar pattern; Blair stayed close behind the Barons, but simple errors doomed the Blazers to another set loss. The final score for the second set was an extremely close 22-25.

The third set was the Blazer's best of the afternoon even though the score at the end did not show it. Blair started out strong as they did in the second set, taking the lead at 9-8. This time Blair kept the score equal until the middle of the set, but the Barons were able to take control again, quickly changing the 12-12 tie into an 18-13 lead. One of Blair's largest pitfalls during the Baron's scoring spree, was the Blazers difficulty in blocking the Baron's serves. "We need[ed] to put up our blocks," said Zhu, bluntly.

Towards the end of the third set, desperation set in and Blair began diving extensively, attempting to save the balls that the Barons continued to pour over the net. "Everyone was diving all over the place. I think we tried really hard," said Zhu, highlighting the good effort at the end. It was too little, too late for a simply overmatched Blair squad. With the Barons holding a 13-24 lead, the Blazers put up their final fight of the afternoon. They earned a point by returning a B-CC serve, but were unable to piece any more points together. The Baron's scored one last time, clinched the set, and won the overall game with a third set score of 14-25.

Blair's confidence took a large blow this afternoon after their loss to the Barons. Senior Katarina Farah voiced her frustration at the end of the game very sharply saying, "I think we played terribly." Farah felt there were some key areas where Blair needed to improve quickly in order to play well against Blake, their next opponent. "We need to work on our calling skills and be angrier." Complacency and a lack of a communication were two negative factors, which impacted each set's outcome for the Blazers.

The consensus among the team was clear by the end of the third set. "We need to practice more," said junior Wendolyn Quintanilla.

Coach Heather Amell attempted to remain positive after the game, saying that her team "really played well. At the same time Coach Amell agreed with Quintanilla and Farah, saying that Blair needs work in almost every area, most notably blocking, covering and passing.

The Blazers' next game is against Blake on Oct. 5, at 7:00 p.m.