26 Jul 2024
Our campaign at the State Carnival has revealed many truths. Truth one: there are some excellent teams and players across NSW. Truth two: no team gets here by luck. Finally, truth three: if you face Moruya High School across the net you need to bring your “A” game because we will not surrender and we got here because we are good and had to fight for every point, set and match. The girls team ended the day placed fourth in their pool after a long day with many hard fought tussles. Exhausted and a little sore we look forward to the next day.
The team was early to rise and watched the horses at Rosehill Racecourse go through their dawn track work before heading to Homebush. We stretched out with a power walk and were physically ready to take on Murrumbidgee Rural High School. In our first set we were not mentally ready with nerves and anxiety letting the set get away from us 16-21. After a quick mental check and refocusing - the skills came back. The “Bidgee” girls fired missiles from the baseline and cannons from the attack line. The Moruya girls withstood the barrage and blocked, defended and when the opportunity arose attacked. It was a long set that ran on a knife’s edge but in the end we took the set 24-22. The decider was again hard fought but the power of the “Bidgee” girls was undeniable when they won the final set 12-15.
The next two teams Cumberland and Cabramatta were both talented and highly ranked teams. Despite a miracle dig off Sari J’s, some great work at the net by Macie B and Tiana W we couldn’t take down Cumberland. We didn’t allow them to impose their wills on us and made them fight for most of their points in the 15-21, 13-21 loss.
Cabramatta brought out a new level in some of the players. Kailee M covered brilliantly, taking a ball centimetres from the ground, right next to the net and sending it back to win the point. Jess R found her rhythm with her serves and Abigail N was tireless with her defending at the net and passing to set up Viv C to attack down the line. Cabramatta dug hard and fought for a strong 18-21, 18-21 victory.
Our final game was against McIntyre High. We had watched them and we understood their game. We needed some fresh legs to help us through and some steely nerves to see ourselves through the final game. It was after 3 pm and the temptation to think of the shopping and dining experiences that awaited us at Parramatta Square after the day was a siren song to get it over and done with. Mr Northey and Mrs Norris were not going to allow that to drag the team away from their job at hand. The first set on the hard work of the serves of Sophie N and the fresh legs of Kahlei H and Edie F we attacked and took the first set 21-11. The parents, draped MHS colour feather boas (not official uniform) cheered loudly and proudly. Buoyed by this and visualising the impending shopping spree we lost focus and ended up losing the second set 12-21. Mr Northey just said, “Looks like we have to win this in three”. The final set was tense and after McIntyre edged out an early lead it was not looking good for a second. But then we remembered the truths, we were good and we got here because we deserved it and took the set 15-11.
Thus ends our first day. We are prepared for our second day where we play for the position of 13th best team in the state.
Special thanks to the parents who came supporting, be-feathered and cheering. Also big appreciation to the school and the sporting scholarship for making this possible.
To be continued…
