In a nail-biting game against the Justice Wolves on Sep 28, the Meridian boys varsity volleyball team turned up for senior night, winning the game 3-0 after two comebacks deep into the second and third sets, completing their first sweep of the year.
Meridian started the game off strong, grabbing an early 11-8 point lead after just five minutes of play. The ‘Stang’s offense was relentless, bombarding the Wolves with endless spikes and taking advantage of every mistake. The brilliant performance saw the Mustangs make short work of the Wolves in a dominant 25-14 set win.
The second set, however, saw a complete shift in pace, as neither team was able to get the upper hand on the other. The continuous back-and-forth exchange lasted until the 20-point mark, where Meridian pulled away with the lead after the Wolves were unable to return three consecutive serves. The set ended 25-22, a win for the Mustangs, giving them a 2-0 game lead.
When asked about how the team managed to grab a hold of the game in the second set, head coach Patrick Hladky gave a surprising reply. “We’ve been practicing a lot of games starting at 20-20, so I think that really helped prepare the team for a moment like this,” Hladky commented.
The third set was another test of strength for Meridian, as despite amassing a comfortable four point lead early on, their form began to drop as the game progressed.
Going into a brief timeout halfway through the set, the ‘Stangs were down by five, with the scoreline sat at 16-21. The team was in dire need of a change, so in a last-minute decision, Coach Hladky decided to put in his three most experienced players, who all rose to the occasion, completing an epic comeback which saw the Mustangs win the game 3-0.
Following the game, Hladky was ecstatic, “Everyone really stepped up today, I couldn’t be happier with the team’s performance.”
Despite a rough start to the season, the Mustangs remain optimistic going forward, as they hope to replicate a similar performance in their next game against Alexandria City on Oct 15.
