The varsity girls volleyball team has had a great season so far with a 13-6 record as of Oct. 4. What’s the key to this winning record? Grit.

The team had multiple games this season where they were down and came back, such as against Immaculata-La Salle Sept. 4, where the Patriots lost the first and third set but came back victorious in the fourth and fifth to take the win.

“Immaculata-La Salle was one of my favorite games. We knew it would be difficult since we had lost to them last year. None of us gave up; we worked hard as a team and won the second set, but it was tight. Then the story repeated: we lost the third set and won the fourth set. At that point, the previous set didn’t matter; we needed to win the last set. We all knew that, and we all wanted to win. It’s hard to explain how, but we were ready both physically and mentally; we knew we could win, and we did, 15-11,” sophomore outside Vanessa Camacho said. Camacho played a big role in this win with 22 digs and 10 kills. 

As the volleyball team continues their season, the month of October comes along: breast cancer awareness month. Breast cancer has become pretty common in the United States — 1 in 8 women, or approximately 13% of the female population in the U.S., will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. So, when the volleyball team played Miami Country Day Oct. 1, they took the opportunity to raise money for the cause and awareness by wearing pink. 

The game started off competitive, with Miami Country Day taking the first set 25-23. 

When down, sophomore right side hitter Sophia Sutta remembers the game against Immaculata-La Salle. “I just think about what I did well in that game and try to duplicate it. I go through what I have to do in my head and then go put it into action,” Sutta said. 

However, Miami Country Day gained momentum and took the second and third sets as well. 

Regardless of the score, the true winner of the night was the Pink Angels Foundation. The Spike Out Cancer game for Breast Cancer Awareness raised $1,500 to donate to the foundation at Memorial Hospital. 

One element needed to beat cancer and win volleyball games is fight. “Our team’s biggest strength is definitely our ability to fight back. We always have really long rallies in every game because we refuse to let the ball drop. That mentality that we have is definitely a strength and has helped us win games,” junior middle blocker Isabella De Leon said. 

Like any team, the varsity volleyball girls aspire to win districts and continue moving forward in states. Still, they recognize the importance of the little moments in life. “I want to enjoy my senior year and play my last year to the fullest, make every moment of it,” senior libero Caleigh Ana Lick said.

_{(Photos/Shai Steiger)}