We can't settle, we need to strive for more!

Katie Roth
Won the first set 26-24, lost the second set 20-25, and lost the final set 6-15. 
Another late game challenged this 6th grade team’s focus and stamina. The warm up is looking better each game, the team has moved from defending free balls to defending hits, and the communication and activity was solid. However, in the first set, while USN won, they were never able to find their groove and stay consistent. The entire first set was back-and-forth with both sides making preventable mistakes. Kendall Puzniak had a few mini serving streaks, giving the team some stability throughout the set. It was USN’s energy and hustle that let them overcome their mistakes and stay in the lead, winning 26-24. 
In the second set St. Paul flipped it on USN. The opponents came out with more confidence and energy. USN couldn’t harness the energy pouring from the stands and their court-side teammates, and the lack of focused energy led to more unforced errors from the 6th graders. The solid plays were scattered, but one to note is Sofia Gulmi had an amazing dive from middle back all the way to the 10 foot line. That energy and dedication led to a late game push from USN. However, St. Paul’s hustle plays in addition to USN’s errors gave St. Paul the edge. The Tigers fell 20-25. 
The final set was hard. It was a late game and the team had a hard time getting ready for the game without expending too much energy, but by the third set it was apparent that the 6th graders were having a harder time mustering their energy and focus. It’s either win now or lose later, unfortunately the team wasn’t able to rally around the good plays and maintain any momentum. India Baler had some great plays showing effort and defensive discipline, but the team needed more self created energy from inside the court. Despite the efforts from the fans, who did the wave 2x times to inspire the young USN team, St. Paul was able to capitalize on USN’s mistakes, while the same could not be said vise-versa. 
At the end of the game, it was hard to take that loss based on how the season’s been going, but this game taught the 6th a lesson in being aggressive. They can’t wait to win or wait to get that point, they have to fight for it until they hear the whistle. When this team figures out that their greatness comes from their energy and effort they’ll be able to continue plays and catch their opponents off guard, but they can’t assume they got the point. They can’t settle for where they’re at now, because it was their desire to improve that got them better in the first place.
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