As the rest of campus is enjoying a long weekend, the volleyball team (26-4, 8-1) will have slightly less of a break, as they play two matches during that time.
Up first is a home game against Centennial (24-7, 8-1) Friday at 5:30 p.m. Having narrowly escaped with a 3-2 road victory the last time the “Rivalry on Rolater” was played, the Redhawks look to significantly improve on that performance this time around.
It is a night that will undoubtedly have major ramifications for final district rankings and the playoffs, given both teams’ rankings: in districts, the Redhawks are ranked first with the Titans right behind them in second place, while the Redhawks are ninth in state and the Titans 35th.
“We are pretty evenly matched with Centennial, so we really just have to come in with a good mindset, stay calm in tight situations, and work well together as a team,” head coach Eighmy Dobbins said. “We’ve planned practice based on what we need to work on to defend them well and score.”
Following that match, the team will hit the road to take on Heritage (17-12, 5-4) Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The Coyotes were swept by the Redhawks earlier in the season, but Dobbins knows that her team cannot afford to write off their opponents.
“We are watching film and studying their best player’s tendencies,” Dobbins said. “We need to control our side of the net, and not underestimate them.”
