BY OLIVIA LEWIS
Each player jogged on to the school bus with headphones on, getting their mind focused on the game. The girls varsity volleyball team had travelled all the way to South Broward High School, ready to play on of the best teams in the district. Once they arrived, they walked into the gym as a unit, every player filled with determination to win the game.
The team prepared by putting their equipment on and listening to what coach Jill Smitherman had to say. They jogged out to the court and began helping each other warm up, waiting for the referee to tell them it was game time. With 30 seconds left until the game, the players gathered on their side of the court and performed their ritual cheer, hyping each and every player up. The girls served the ball as the game began.
The Cowboys started off strong, scoring a few quick points. They were determined to win, blocking as many spikes as they could. The Cowboy’s defense was extremely strong, only allowing the Bulldogs to score few points. Senior Devyn Moore was able to obtain eight kills, adding to Cooper City’s score. The team was working together the entire time, communicating so that there was no confusion. The first set went by quickly, as the Cowboy’s added points to the scoreboard rapidly. The Bulldogs were only to put nine points onto the scoreboard, making the score of the first set 25-9.
“Overall our team has been doing great,” Moore said. “Especially during the games.”
The win of the first set gave the Cowboys the confidence and courage to continue in the second set. Cooper City began to dominate the second set, just as they did the first. The Cowboys got as many kills as they could, constantly adding points to their score. Senior Megan Hernandez made seven kills, boosting the Cowboy’s score. Not one player on Cooper City was playing selfishly, which led to their win of the second set. This set also went by quickly because of how fast the Cowboys were scoring their points. The Bulldogs were only able to put 14 points onto the scoreboard, making the score 25-14.
Cooper City was ready to end the game completely, insistent on winning the third set of the game. The girls boosted everyone’s remaining energy levels. Coach Smitherman kept her team players positive while she instructed them from the sideline.
The Cowboys served the ball, and from that moment, the set was already in their control. Cooper City began adding points onto the sideline, ready to finish the game off; however, South Broward wasn’t going to let them win that easily. The Bulldogs began catching up to the Cowboy’s score, creating tension between both of the teams. The fans on the bleachers were on the edge of their seats, unsure of who was going to win the set.
Senior Sam McVay helped the Cowboys score numerous points by making 15 assists.
“I thought the team played amazing,” McVay said. “We were in a rhythm that made us perform extremely well, and we came out victorious in the end.”
The Cowboys got the game under control, and were able to rise above the Bulldogs. This set lasted a lot longer than the first two, with both teams bent on winning. Junior Lauren Rock had 12 digs, stopping the other team from scoring any more points than they already did. The set finally ended with a close score of 25-20.
Both teams shook hands with each other, and then ran into their huddles. Coach Smitherman gave the team a talk after the game, congratulating them on their win. The girls have practiced extremely hard, showing in the games they have played. The team hopes to continue winning their future games and make it as far as they possibly can. They walked out of the gym and back onto the bus with smiles on their faces, as they had just won another important game of the season.
Final score: Cooper City 3, South Broward 0
Photo by Hailey Brown
