The month of October is known for bringing awareness to breast cancer.  Many sports teams recognize this by playing games to raise money for the cause.  The Girls Volleyball Team did just this by participating in their annual Dig Pink game on Friday, October 9.  

Playing against the very competitive Northport High School, the Wildcats did not let their past history get in the way of a win.  A few weeks ago, they had been defeated by Northport in a 3-0 loss.  The team was excited about playing them again in such an important game. After watching the JV team win their game, the Varsity girls were more pumped than ever.  

While the game was going on in the gym, the yearly Homecoming Bonfire was taking place right outside.  When it suddenly started to rain, about 150 students and teachers came inside to watch the game. Seeing the support from their peers created an energy never felt before.  Junior Deja Tejada says, “There was so much school spirit.  It felt like the whole school was cheering us on.”  With this in mind, the girls gave it their all on the court.

The weeks of practice paid off as the girls crushed Northport in a close 3-set match (25-22, 25-23, 26-24).  The whole team played extremely well, both offensively and defensively.  Senior Emma Kongevold proved to be an effective hitter, totaling 8 kills.  Freshman Ally DeGaray racked up points with 7 kills and 4 aces.  Middle hitters Jessica Young and Cayleigh Delgado each had 4 kills and together added 9 blocks.  Sophomore and first-timer on Varsity Maelyn Latko had 12 digs on the court.  Junior Olivia Poplawski played great all around, with 20 assists, 13 digs, 2 aces, and 2 kills.  

After experiencing some setbacks the first half of the season, this was definitely a turning point game.  Jessica Young says, “It felt so good beating Northport.  We never gave up or lost intensity on the court, and being surrounded by our school in the crowd kept us going.”  The whole team can agree that the energy and excitement in the stands kept them going.  As an afterthought, junior Casey Leonick adds, “I remember we won in 3 sets, and it was so exciting.  We all jumped up and ran onto the court!”  

Their Dig Pink was not only a great win to add to their season, but was also dedicated to a great cause.  The gym was completely covered in pink, and the girls sold t-shirts and bracelets to raise funds for breast cancer research.  These sales, combined with a 50-50 raffle, added up to $900.  All of the proceeds made from the event will be donated to the Side-Out Foundation, an organization dedicated to raising money for breast cancer research through volleyball.  The charity hopes to empower young athletes and use the “teamwork of the volleyball community to beat cancer.”  All of the girls would like to thank the people who came to support both their team and the important cause they played for.