Choate Proves Challenge to Volleyball, Lose in Final Set

In one of the closest games this season, the girls’ volleyball team was able to pull out a big 3-1 win over Loomis at home. The stakes were high, with the number two slot in the conference standings on the line. After having lost 0-3 on Wednesday to Choate, Loomis was looking for a win to get them back on track. Meanwhile, Exeter was seeking to reaffirm their power in the conference after having lost to Choate the previous Saturday.These two teams clashed last Saturday for the first time since last season, which also ended in an Exeter victory. After coming out flat in the first set, Big Red finally got going to sweep the next three sets from the Pelicans. First sets have been an issue for the team so far this season, and Saturday was no different.Upper Zaidee Laughlin said that effective warm-ups will play a great role for stronger starts. “Energy is the key source of inspiration for us and getting rowdy and excited is very important,” she said.

“Energy is the key source of inspiration for us and getting rowdy and excited is very important.”

Over the next three sets, Exeter showed why they deserve to be talked about as one of the league’s best. They won the second through fourth set, 25-23, 25-20 and 25-20.“We picked up our energy on and off the court,” prep Chloe Scocimara said.The team’s mentality was also a large component of their win, senior captain Brooke Detwiler said. “I think [the win] was a combination of mental toughness and willingness to work hard,” she said. Winning three close sets down the stretch certainly backed that up.As previously mentioned, Exeter now sits in second place in the NEPSAC Class A standings. Choate is the only team ahead of the Big Red, with Loomis rounding out the top three. With the season approaching the halfway point, the team seems to have established a solid place for the closing stretch.With six of their nine remaining games coming against in-conference competition, Exeter will have to come with their A-game every week if they want to maintain the number two seed come playoff time. Should Choate manage to lose two games, Exeter could even snatch the number one seed and home court advantage if they win out.“Our confidence going into games is key, and having home court and a supportive crowd would be a huge asset,” Laughlin said.Big Red’s next test will be this Saturday away at NMH.