Athletics

Game Summaries

Volleyball Season 2008

EW 0–Bishop Gibbons 3

19-25, 21-25, 16-25
Emma Willard volleyball opened its season on a hot and humid Thursday and played a great match away against a strong Bishop Gibbons team. Crystal ’09 set the opposition back on their heels with an opening run of 5 service points, but Bishop Gibbons came back with points of their own, and the teams traded the lead back and forth for most of the next two sets. Neither side gave an inch, resulting in a number of long volleys that included impressive defensive saves and strong attacks.  Tess ’09, Libby ’10, and Fatima ’11 were particularly effective passing the ball, while Crystal and Mizuki ’10 put up some great sets. Though the Jesters got off to a slow start in the third set, they worked their way back from an 8-point deficit early on to come within a few points before Bishop Gibbons finally put it away. It was the start of an exciting season!

EW 3–Watervliet 0

25-10, 25-23, 26-24
Emma Willard earned its first win this season against Watervliet. The Jesters took the first set readily behind the strong serving and setting of Crystal and Mizuki. Tess and Olivia were strong at the net, both offensively and defensively. In the second and third sets, the match descended into a serving duel, as both teams readily earned points off their serves but struggled to keep the ball in play. Consistent strong serving from Olivia and Mizuki, combined with Libby’s scrappy defense, helped Emma come from behind in both of these sets to win. The entire team showed impressive resolve and determination to take the final set in particular; at one point Watervliet had a six point lead with just two to go for the win, but the Jesters dug in their heels and came out victorious.

EW 3–Heatly 0

25-12, 25-2, 25-16  
Jesters volleyball earned its second overall and first league victory away against Heatly, who were playing in their season debut. Emma Willard was slow to get started, giving away points on missed serves and hits, and the first set remained close through the first rotation. Behind Libby’s second round of serves, however, the team opened a significant lead and never looked back. In the second, the first two players in the rotation, Crystal and Libby, nearly served out the set. The match provided opportunities for Mary to set, and she went six for six with three assists. The entire team came together to put together the win.  

EW 3–New Lebanon 0

25-16, 25-23, 25-12
Emma Willard played its first home game on Thursday, winning in three against league opponent New Lebanon. The visiting team had height and some strong serving but struggled to handle the home team’s serves; the Jesters combined for a total of 34 aces over three sets. Crystal led the way with 9, followed by Mary’s 6 and Libby’s 5. In fact, Emma Willard’s strongest attack came from serves, as there were relatively few volleys in the match. Nonetheless, middle hitters Kaitlin and Fatima put down 3 kills each, and Crystal put down a monster hit in the second. Setting duties were spread wide, as Crystal, Mizuki, Mary, and Yukiko each took turns running the attack. Yukiko, Tess, and Libby also played solid defense as the Jesters improved their record to 3 and 1.  

EWS 3–Hawthorne Valley 0

25-22, 25-9, 25-18
The Jesters took on Hawthorne Valley in an epic battle of intense volleyball. Though the team let their opponent slow the game down in the beginning, Crystal picked them up with 7 aces. From there the team only continued to rise to their victory with Tess’s 2 blocks, Olivia’s 2 kills, and Mizuki’s 2 setting assists. Mizuki’s streak of glorious playing would continue in the games to follow with a total of 6 aces. Though the players on the battlefront were altered, the strength of the Jesters did not falter. Mary set up her attack with 6 beautiful sets for Kaitlin, Gillian, and Yukiko to fire away at, resulting in a kill each, while Libby and Annie defended our territory with a dig and a block, respectively. Cami and Fatima forced Hawthorne Valley to concede defeat with their 3 aces. Coach Burday was so proud of her troops that she rewarded them with ice cream.

EW 1–Germantown 3

25-22, 20-25, 18-25, 20-25
Emma Willard suffered its first league loss on Wednesday, away at Germantown. The Clippers brought height and strong serving to the match, putting the Jesters off balance at times. In spite of a slow start in the first set, however, the visiting team rallied behind Kaitlin’s tough play at the net and a couple of power hits by Mizuki to pull out a win. The second set was marred by serving errors, and though Crystal put the team back on track with a run of consistent serves and sets, it wasn’t quite enough to win. Fatima came in the second and third sets to add blocking power at the net. Still, the home team’s defense made it hard to put away the points. On Emma’s side, Tess and Crystal had 6 and 7 digs each, and strong backcourt play by Yukiko and Mizuki meant that every point became a battle. After falling behind 20-10 in the fourth, the Jesters threw caution to the wind and came out strong before conceding defeat. Kaitlin’s 4 blocks and Olivia’s 2 contributed much to the near comeback. It was a well-contested match!

EWS 1–Waterford 3

25-17, 15-25, 13-25, 21-25
The Jesters played well against a strong Waterford team but fell in Friday’s home match. Emma Willard started off strong, serving effectively in the first set and passing the ball well. Crystal led the team with 5 aces in the first, while fellow setter Mizuki added 2 kills. In the second set Waterford began serving more effectively, and the Jesters’ serving began to decline, handing the momentum to the visitors. Strong defense at the net by Olivia and in the backcourt by Libby and Yukiko, along with Yukiko’s consistent serving, helped keep Emma Willard in the running, though. In the fourth, the team settled down, consistently putting over their serves and controlling their defense. They dropped behind the Fordians early in the game only to battle back, as the two teams dueled it out for every point. The visitors pulled away again behind effective attacks, but the Jesters battled back to within four before losing the match. The contest was marked by long volleys and impressive play on both sides of the net.

EW 1–Loudonville Christian 3

13-25, 12-25, 25-19, 21-25
Emma Willard suffered another tough loss yesterday, to visiting Loudonville Christian. The first two sets were marked by errors on the part of the home team, as the Jesters failed to gain a solid foothold. The one aspect of their game that the team maintained was their serving, with only three errors combined in the two sets. In addition, there were a couple of impressive rallies, and Crystal came through with 2 kills. Momentum swung to Emma Willard in the third set, however, as the team settled down on defense and began to attack more aggressively at the net. Kaitlin and Fatima hit hard and effectively, putting down 3 and 2 kills, respectively, aided by Crystal and Mizuki’s sets and the improved passing of Libby and Yukiko. Cami came in to provide foolproof serving as well. Though the visitors were able to pull close, Emma finished the third with two strong attacks. They carried that momentum into the fourth set, but Loudonville never backed down. In spite of strong defense and aggressive serving, particularly by Mizuki, the visitors were able to take the match with a defense that covered the floor effectively and a consistent attack. Long rallies often included tough duels at the net and spectacular defensive saves by both teams, making for an exciting final two sets.

EW 3–Berlin 1

25-19, 24-26, 25-21, 25-19
Emma Willard volleyball traveled to the foothills of the Taconics to challenge the Berlin Mountaineers on Friday.  Both teams got off to a slow start, exchanging a series of missed serves before gaining some momentum in the first set. The Jesters were quarterbacked by setters Mizuki and Mary, who worked hard to put the ball up for their hitters. Olivia came through strong for the team, putting down 5 aces, 4 kills, and 2 blocks over the course of the match. After taking the first set, a mixed lineup of starters and newer players nearly pulled off a win in the second, just barely succumbing to a more aggressive Berlin attack. Emma Willard came out strong in the third and stronger in the fourth, as seniors Yukiko and Kaitlin contributed consistent serving, effective passing, and aggressive attacks. Stalwarts Tess and Libby played with determination and consistency to help the Jesters to their fourth league win of the season.

EW 3–Heatly 0

25-5, 25-19, 25-10
Heatly brought a small but determined squad to Emma Willard on Monday, but the Jesters numbers and serving proved overwhelming as the home team won in three games.  Everyone from the Emma Willard squad had playing time. In the first set, the starters dominated behind Olivia’s hitting and serving; she served out 16 of the team’s 25 points.  Crystal put down a kill, and Mary contributed 2 assists in the win. Kaitlin was also a presence at the net, with a block and 2 hits. In the second, Fatima and Cami each had an ace, along with Crystal’s 2, and Gillian passed effectively from the back row. Heatly’s second saw their team shaking off the road trip and putting together some good rallies as well. In the third and final set, Annie showed great instincts on defense. Sarah moved well on the court, too, and Katie and Wanda both contributed solid serving, with an ace each. Yukiko played a great all-around match, while Tess and Libby put in their usual effective performances. It was a great team effort! 

EW 3–New Lebanon 0

27-25, 25-20, 25-10
Emma Willard traveled to New Lebanon on Wednesday and picked up their seventh win of the season. While both the trip and the game were a success, the roads to get there were anything but smooth. Confusion over transportation meant that the Jesters arrived 10 minutes after the game was to begin, so they got right down to business. The host team was more than ready, however, and did a fine job of playing defense and putting together effective plays. Though Emma took an early lead behind Crystal’s serves, neither team ever gained momentum; they had advanced into a third serving rotation before the visitors were able to put it away behind Kaitlin and Tess’s hitting and Olivia’s blocking. In the second set, the Jesters came out stronger, as Tess’s serves provided an early lead, but New Lebanon battled back to take the lead. Olivia’s aces and good defense by Libby helped Emma Willard to come back and win. Losing two close sets seemed to take the wind out of New Lebanon’s sails, and the fresh energy of Gillian, Cami, Fatima, and Annie, along with Olivia’s turn as a setter, brought the match to a quick conclusion in the third.

EW 3–Hawthorne Valley 0

25-11, 25-14, 25-21
Volleyball notched its seventh league win in a home match against Hawthorne Valley.  The victory was a team effort, as everyone played a part. Mizuki had an effective offensive day, lining up 5 aces and 2 kills. Yukiko, Libby, and Tess contributed to a quick win in the first.  In the second, Olivia and Crystal switched positions, earning points as setter and middle hitter, respectively. Mary came in to provide consistent passing and serving in the second and third, while Annie played well all around, including an amazing save on a ball going out of bounds in the third. Cami contributed a kill in the second, and Gillian read the opposition well on defense. In the third, the Jesters juggled a complex substitution system that led to an ace by Wanda, a kill by Katie, and  that saw Sarah and Julia playing effectively in the back row. Fatima was missed, but the team came together for another success.

EW 0–Germantown 3

15-25, 23-25, 8-25
The Jesters’ high hopes for their rematch against Germantown were dashed as the team fell in three sets. Emma Willard was slow to get started in the first set, falling behind by 13 points in the first half of the rotation. Behind improved passing and solid setting by Mizuki, momentum began to shift in the home team’s direction. Unfortunately, the deficit was too great to overcome in the first. The team took some of that positive momentum into the second set, however, and came out swinging. Olivia, Tess, and Libby all had their best hitting in the second, while Mizuki’s diving defense kept the ball alive many a time. The rallies were long and fierce, and Emma took a lead into the second rotation. Germantown refused to give up, however, and after an impressive serving run by their captain, they were able to squeak by with the win. Deflated by the near miss, Emma never got back into the game in the third; Germantown’s blanket defense and powerful hitting took the day.

EW 0–Waterford 3

9-25, 13-25, 13-25
In its second tough match of the week, Emma Willard succumbed to Waterford in three.  The play throughout was much closer than the scores imply, as spectacular defense made for long and exciting rallies; unfortunately, the Jesters seldom came out the winner.  Nonetheless, Mizuki put down some powerful hits off of Crystal’s sets, and the team made a number of impressive defensive saves that showed great heart and determination.  Olivia had a couple of key blocks in the first, and Libby had a great day at the net, putting down 3 kills. Still, serving and hitting errors prevented Emma Willard from gaining any momentum, while the consistent passing and hitting from the Fordians took its toll.

EW 0–Loudonville Christian 3

26-24, 25-14, 25-9
After struggling for a couple of games, Emma Willard was able to pull together a cohesive effort and start strong against league-leading Loudonville Christian. Emma took the lead early in the first set and maintained it for much of the game behind solid serving by Libby and Tess. Olivia’s blocking, Mizuki’s setting, and Crystal’s hitting gave the team a 21-13 lead at one point. Loudonville hung in, however, and were able to swing the momentum back in their direction with good serving and defense, taking the win by two points. The visitors didn’t give up easily, though. Emma continued to serve effectively in the second and third, with Olivia contributing consistent serves and strong blocking by Kaitlin and Tess. The team played with heart, hustling and diving after the ball, but they struggled to control their passes and hitting, committing errors that allowed Loudonville to pull out of reach. The points don’t tell an accurate story, though, of the close play and positive spirit demonstrated out on the court.

EW 3–Berlin 1

25-16, 20-25, 25-19, 25-8

Emma Willard hosted the Berlin volleyball team on Thursday. The two teams are closely ranked in the league, but the Jesters were able to win the match with the help of many players.  The first set went to the home team behind the serving of co-captains Tess and Crystal.  The Emma defense also did a great job of keeping the ball in play, particularly Tess and Yukiko; the latter had 9 digs in the first. Mary did a nice job filling in for the injured Libby. In the second, Fatima and Gillian came in at the net and in the backcourt, respectively, while Crystal and Olivia switched roles, with Crystal taking on middle hitting and Olivia setting. The two teamed up for some good plays, but the team as a whole struggled to cover the court effectively, and the Mountaineers' strong serving gave them the set. Emma lost the first six service points in the third but came right back with five of their own. Cami and Annie came in and played effective defense, while Crystal’s 3 kills helped the team win the set. In the fourth, Wanda and Julia both contributed to the win as the visitors seemed to lose their focus. It was a great group effort.

EW 3–Hoosic Valley 1

22-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-23

Emma volleyball played a great game in front of an enthusiastic crowd on Parent Days. Their opponent, Hoosic Valley, had knocked Emma out of sectional play last season and gone on to win sectionals, but the loss of their entire starting line-up has made this a rebuilding year.  Nonetheless, the visitors regularly put tough serves over the net and played effective defense; they kept it close throughout. In the first, the two teams traded points; Emma scored behind Tess’s consistent serving and hitting and Crystal’s setting and hits. In spite of a comeback late in the set, Hoosic Valley held on to win. Emma came out firing in the second. Mizuki was putting down big kills while Kaitlin’s blocking kept the defense in it. In the backcourt, Libby, Yukiko, and Tess kept the ball off the floor. The third game matched the second, as Emma continued to hit away at their opponent; Crystal and Kaitlin teamed up for a great quick set in the middle. Olivia played a strong, consistent game, putting across tough serves and passing well. The team was playing fearlessly, pulling together to play some of the most effective volleyball they’ve played all season. The fourth set gave Fatima and Mary a chance to contribute, and Mary was there to put the game away with a final kill.  It was a great ending to a well played game.

EW 1–Chatham 3

19-25, 25-27, 25-11, 20-25

Emma Willard traveled to Chatham on Friday to play in the preliminary round of sectionals. The two teams were well paired, and the match was marked by close play and momentum swings. Emma kept it close in the first, in spite of missing an unusual number of serves. Impressive blocking by Kaitlin, Olivia, and Tess kept the team in it. In the second, the players settled down and took an early lead, as Olivia and Tess got their serves under control. Crystal’s and Mizuki’s setting prowess allowed the hitters to begin putting the ball down. Chatham refused to give up, however, and worked their way back into the game with strong serving and persistent defense, taking the second game after an intense series of game points. A loss like that could have taken the wind out of Emma’s sails, but the team came back in the third on fire. Crystal served out the first 7 points before Chatham was able to get a point on the board. Mizuki and Kaitlin had 3 kills each, as consistent passing from Libby and Yukiko in the backcourt gave the team the base it needed to win points at will. This set saw some of the smoothest, best volleyball Emma Willard has played this year, as the dominating score demonstrates. Unfortunately, the magic didn’t last, and in spite of a number of excellent plays in the fourth, Chatham came back to win the match. In spite of the loss, the Jesters played a tremendous game and should feel proud of their achievements on this day and throughout the season. Congratulations on a job well done!