SHC’s Fighting Irish faced off against the St. Ignatius Wildcats in thrilling fashion
during last night’s Bruce-Mahoney Girls Volleyball Game. Despite the phenomenal performance the Irish put up, they were unable to secure a victory. Regardless of their loss, they continuously displayed spectacular athleticism and proved their dedication to the sport through their jaw-dropping rallies, outstanding digs, and cheerful spirit throughout the entire game.
After the game, we spoke with one of the team captains, Madi Mullins ‘26. Mullins is the team’s primary libero; she acts as the team’s backbone and defensive specialist who especially stood out last night despite the team’s defeat.
Throughout yesterday’s matchup, Mullins showcased her defensive expertise through countless digs, clutch saves, consistent reads, steady covers, and vital passes. After an outstanding 4th set performance, Mullins led the team into a 5th overtime set. With the rivalry in mind, Mullins leaves a message to SHC’s future volleyball players, “Even if you are playing a hard team and think you’re going to lose, it’s important to push through every point and pursue every single dig, every single block, and every single hit possible.”
The Bruce-Mahoney matchup featured notable efforts from various students from the Class of 2027. Ella Gorospe ‘27 stood out through her incredible kills, Elsa Dack ‘27 had stunning blocks, swapping in and off the court with Audrey Brennan ‘27, and Chloe Hansbury ‘27, all sharing the role of Middle Blocker. Additionally, Outside Hitter, Kaylen Edora ‘27, was instrumental in the intense showdown through her impressively powerful spikes and lightning-speed reactions to incoming spikes from the Wildcats’ formidable offense.
Mullins claims that in the face of defeat, the Fighting Irish overcame adversity, “We came into this game knowing that they [St. Ignatius] were going to be a really good team tonight, I think we played the best we have this entire season.” The Irish lost their lead early on in the second set, which remained that way until the fourth. The team finished the fourth set with a remarkable score of 25-19, tying the game 2-2 to send the team into overtime.
In support of our Fighting Irish, SHC’s student section showed out with a large and roaring crowd. Led by SHC’s student council and the SHC band, the energy was electric. To Mullins, the energy “on our side was definitely positive and boosted our confidence,” which supported the team’s first and fourth set wins. Having a supportive student section means a lot to Mullins and her teammates, as she stated the team is “used to not having a lot of people at our games.”
Though enduring the tough loss, Mullins kept her head high as the Fightin’ Irish delivered a memorable performance. This game has taught the Irish many lessons to hold onto in their upcoming matches, as well as the additional matchup against the Wildcats in November. With league play kicking off, SHC’s Girls Volleyball team will be granted much time to improve and prepare for their daunting WCAL opponents.
Glossary of Volleyball Terms:
Kill: An attacking hit that gains the team a point, landing on the opponent’s team’s court without being touched.
Spike: A strong, direct, downward hit over the net.
Rally: A time-period of continuous play, starts with a serve and ends once the ball lands or goes out of bounds.
Block: A defensive tactic where players jump and raise their hands to deflect an incoming attack.
Read: Foreseeing an opponent’s attack by looking out for positioning or approach.
Dig: A defensive action where a player uses their forearms to prevent the ball from hitting the ground.
Save: When a player prevents a difficult-to-hit ball from touching the ground, preventing the opposing team from scoring.
Cover: When a player positions themselves behind their teammate to retrieve the ball in case of a bad hit or block.
