On September 22, Senior Captain and setter Elaina Straub was “very excited and pumped up” for the team’s match verses Blair. Straub’s excitement was evident as she and her teammates bumped, set, and spiked their way to a 3-1 win over Blair.

Both coaches were focused before the match. Blair Coach Klein stated that, “We’ve got some injures, and a low lineup so we’re going to give it all we’ve got,” while Head Coach Nicole Shields was “confident” that Paint Branch was going to win the match and play well and play well they did as the Lady Panthers won the first two games in a commanding fashion.

As warm-up started, both teams seemed very competitive. The team members practiced digging, spiking, setting, and blocking the ball with the assistance of Coach Shields and Assistant Coach Burns.

As game one started, both teams huddled and the Paint Branch volleyball team scream, “Who? PB, 123, team,” echoed throughout the gym, fans were alert and excited for the game to start. Because of their skills in volleyball, seniors Straub, Kate McGrew, Sammy Fean, juniors Becca Grady, Kelly Maszkiewicz, and freshman Teynia Shepherd, became the starting players to the in the first game. McGrew had many kills, thanks to the remarkable sets by Straub. As the game went on, the dominance was evident as Paint Branch won the first game, 25-13 with the intensity continuously growing.

In the second game, the line-up was pretty much the same with the exception of junior Lisa Schell starting taking over for Maskiewicz, who stayed on the side, ready to switch into the game. The intensity of the game was great. The intensity heightened to the point to where a Blair fan in the audience started harassing the Panther volleyball players and Coach Shields until JV Head Coach Hardy had to ask him to stop. McGrew, Grady, Fean, and Shepherd had great hits. Although one time in the game, setter Straub, got the first ball played on her side of the court and eventually the ball dropped. Straub then comforted the team saying, “It’s okay, it’s okay,” trying to get the team to shake it off. Maskiewicz had many good saves, and it was a close game of 25-19, but still ended up with the Panthers dominating the court.

In the third game, there was a good start and eventually the Blazers won their first game. As Fean served, a fan from the crowd called out, “Yeah, Sammy!” as she served an ace. Paint Branch was in the lead all the way until the Panthers led 22-21, and the Blazers called out a time-out. At the next point, the Panthers called out a time out, and another one after the Blazers scored another point. Although Paint Branch lost this game 22-25, dignity was exemplified by the players who were determined to do better next game.

As promised, the Panthers dominated the Blazers in the final game, winning 25-8. Grady and freshman Becky Cohen served four successful serves, while Fean and Grady had two double blocks and Straub successfully served eight serves across the court leading the team to victory during the fourth game.

Captains Fean and McGrew both agreed it was a great game. McGrew hopes “we can pull off a winning season.” And Fean recalled that, as a team, “[we] stayed positive the whole game and never let down.” As an effect of this win, the whole team ran to the middle of the court screaming and jumping with joy as the Paint Branch Varsity volleyball team continues to be undefeated with the record of 4-0.