A Band Apart Productions
Bright and early on Saturday September 27th, RDVB faced off against Fair Lawn in an independent matchup, playing best of five sets. With strong energy and determination, RDVB walked away with a big victory after four sets.
RDVB started strong, winning the first two sets before dropping one. They bounced back quickly, taking the fourth set securing the overall win.
The second set proved to be the most intense as it extended to 31 points before RDVB pulled through in a nail-biting 31-29 finish. Both teams were back-to-back on points as they increased by one each time from 25-25. Team captain and middle blocker, Cassidy Collin, said, “The Fair Lawn game went very well… I think we were very resilient, as most of the sets were above 25 [points].”
And second team captain and libero, Madison Pastore, said, “This was a great game because we maintained a positive attitude, supported each other, and pushed through adversity.”
Offensively, Marissa Petrocelli and Cara Lee dominated with a combined 39 kills, while the team totaled an impressive 54 kills, 80 digs, and 13 aces showcasing both RDVB’s defensive and offensive talent.
The defensive team was on fire this game chasing after every ball and getting under it. They had to carefully watch every dink and hit that was placed by the other team to pass perfect balls to the setter. “I thought defense did a great job adjusting to where some of the hitters were placing the ball since they had a lot of smart tips and hit deep corners.” said Odilet Encarnación an RD Defensive Specialist.
Not only was the defense locked in, but the offense team dominated the net. “We kept swinging and we worked really hard… we also connected really well with our setters,” said Collins.
Both JV and Freshmen teams came out to support, adding excitement and energy in the gym. Not only did the students bring the hype but the parents also joined in on the chants and cheered for The Hawks, JV DS/setter, Ali Seto, said, “It was very exciting, and it kept me off my seat. We were all really hyped.”
Despite the challenges Fair Lawn threw their way, RDVB never backed down. They stayed composed, fought through tough moments, and proved their resilience. In the end, their persistence and teamwork paid off, sealing an important win for the team.