An athlete’s fiercest competition isn’t against another competitor, but against the limits they set for themselves.  All too often, the game is dictated by the least talented team- the tempo, focus, or dedication.  Good teams will scrape by and still win in spite of this.  But greater teams claim the victory as they remain disciplined and aggressive. 

In a contest determined by the team that makes the least amount of errors, the Lady Dragon volleyball team used their most recent game as a chance to focus not just on winning, but claiming the victory due to their efforts, not merely the errors of their opponent.  Hosting the Aberdeen Tigers Wednesday, October 1, the MHS clearly dominated the court from the first serve of the game, winning in three sets with a combined score of 75-17.

While the Tigers might not have proven to be a challenging opponent, the MHS team used the faceoff as an opportunity to improve their play in the controllable moments of their game.  By doing so, the Lady Dragons jumped to an early lead and never looked back in the opening game of the match.  

Things started off well as Malad sent over challenging serves that Aberdeen struggled to counter, either shanking them out or returning them with an easy free pass.  Setting up a simple bump, set, spike, the Lady Dragons easily strung together a number of easy plays leading to easy points.  

But not every play went according to plan and forced the team to react with split second decisions that would either win or lose the very next point.  Some of these scenarios looked like an alternate setter having to step up when setter Izzy Haycock would take the dig, a ball passed too tight to the net that would require careful consideration between a block and hit, or recognizing when to pound the ball over the net or lightly tip it.

With the focus of making good decisions and reducing their own errors, the Lady Dragons kept the pressure on to make fast work of the first game, winning 25-4.  If there was a hallmark of Malad’s opening game, it was their commitment to each play, not giving up until the whistle blew.

Aberdeen began the second game with the serve but with a kill on an overpass by Liv Nelson, possession quickly changed in favor of Malad until they were up 7-0.  The Tigers would have moments of rally, but those such moments were short lived as their hustled lapsed and the Lady Dragons outplayed them.  

The MHS back row dug nearly everything the Tigers would send their way, setting up hitters Brynnlee Jones, Jette Nelson, Liv Nelson, Mady Vanbebber and Purity Miller for play winning kills.  The front row attackers showcased their skill with a patient approach, strong swing, and strategic placement.  Throughout the game, Jones led the team with kills as she tallied 11, followed by Liv Nelson with 8, Vanbebber with 6, Jette Nelson with 5 and Miller with 4.  

Nearly every 6 or so points, Aberdeen found a way to counter the MHS attack and notch a point on the scoreboard.  But the victory was short-lived as the Lady Dragons would go up another handful of points.  Malad rounded out the second set of the match as they went up 25-8.

Picking up where they left off, the Lady Dragons continued to dominate the third and final game of the match. Malad’s focus on reduced errors peaked in the final game as they had zero serving, hitting, or passing errors.  Middle hitters Liv Nelson and Vanbebber finished the match at the net without a single hitting error, settling at a 67% and 75% kill to hit ratio.  In contrast, the Tigers continued to error, hitting the ball out or in the net or simply letting it drop to the court.  

The Lady Dragons closed out the night as they won the final set of the match 25-5.  Proud of her team, Head Coach Camie Tripp shared what a great game it was for them to reset, refocus, and reduce those errors that had been plaguing their team.  “Every team is a chance for us to focus on how we play, regardless of their skill,” she commented.  “This was a great game for our team to control our controllables.”

The Lady Dragons will host conference opponents Declo and Soda Springs on Wednesday and Thursday of the upcoming Homecoming week.