The pressure was on. Girls in black or gold huddled on their respective sides of the volleyball net. Fans were back in the stands, their cheers providing motivation to the players. Seconds later, EHS’s Lexi Griffin served the ball and sent it flying to the players from Eureka on the other side. 

 An incredibly well-matched game ensued; both teams fought fiercely for the championship title. 

Although the Tigers lost this final match, the team is proud of their success.

EHS volleyball scored second place in the Tiger Classic tournament last weekend, more determined than ever coming out of their unofficial season last year, which involved limited audiences and a lack of playing time.

Last year, the volleyball season lasted only four weeks, and the number of observers was kept at a minimum. Senior Emma Garner described the stands as “barren”.  

Senior Madison Vieth pointed out the importance of an audience in volleyball, saying, “Having fans there is a huge part of the game since volleyball is essentially a game of momentum. Having fans cheering you on helps gather momentum and make securing the win much easier.”
She attributes Edwardsville’s success partially to the presence of an audience. 

Meanwhile, Sophomore Hanna Matarelli attributes the success more to the increase in practice time. “I think we have more freedom of doing stuff than last year,” she said, “ I think there are more friends being made… if we’re closer then we’re going to be better as a team.”

No matter the specific reason given, all three players agree that having a normal season with fans, more playing time and more connection to teammates, holds the possibility for their best season in years. 

“There’s definitely a sense of urgency,” Garner said, “We’re very motivated to get the season going, start off strong and show everybody what we got.”