It's easy to win when things are going your way...
Winning one match can instill a lot of confidence, but a few serving runs from the opponent can break that, 12-25. The second set was more normal, but USN was still shook from the first set, they lost 18-25.
With their last win fresh in their mind, this 6th grade team was not deterred by playing Harpeth Hall, a school with a reputation for strong sports. The warm up looked good, the huddle started strong, even the beginning of the first set was full of decent communication and energy. What this team found out was that it’s easy to be encouraging, energetic, and focused when things are going their way, but when the going got tough USN did not get going. Harpeth Hall had multiple servers go on scoring runs and it froze many of the 6th graders. Many players repeatedly couldn't get a clean touch and USN's usually reliable serving couldn't make up the difference. The first set ended disappointingly, 12-25 with USN stunned.
The second set was better for individuals, but as a team they still couldn’t find that flow. While the bench oozed energy and encouragement, the on-the-court players weren’t able to harness any of it. The biggest stand out of this set was Sofia Gulmi. She hustled everywhere! If it was a shanked ball, she was trying to track it down, if it was a shallow hit or free ball, she was on the ground. In the face of adversity, she was making the most of a hard competitive situation. Nora Ammerman also provided much needed energy as one of the loudest players on the bench and led the sideline in many cheers! Despite these players taking on more leadership, USN wasn’t able to get out of their own head and lost the second set 18-25.
This summary isn’t to talk about how badly each player played, in fact many players had great diving plays or miracle hits or some flashes of brilliance, but it was disappointing how USN tried to play differently than they had all season. This team has worked to focus on energy, effort, and on helping each other, but those intangibles got away from them. Not to discredit Harpeth Hall, but the team they faced today was not the typical USN 6th Grade team and if it was I’m sure it’d be a different story.
More USN News
List of 3 news stories.
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Middle School Quiz Bowl Team competes at National Championship
On Friday, May 9, members of the MS Quiz Bowl team traveled to Chicago to compete against schools from across the country in the National Academic Quiz Tournament Middle School National Championship.Read More -
Sandidge named Shmerling Chair for Excellence in Teaching
Sixth Grade English Teacher Katie Reen Sandidge assumes the role of USN’s first endowed chair, named in honor of a Distinguished Alumnus and former Board of Trustees President.Read More -
HS hosts annual awards day
High School faculty closed the academic year with a special tribute to seniors and recognition of stand-out students during the annual award assembly on Friday, May 9.Read More
Contact
Edgehill Campus
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
USN Mission:
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.