The Emporia High School volleyball team continued its strong performance at their home opener on Thursday night, extending their winning streak to six games with victories over Salina South and Topeka West.
The Lady Spartans started the evening with a sweep of Salina South, winning in straight sets (25-19, 25-20). They then faced a tougher battle against Topeka West, going to three sets before securing the win (25-9, 24-26, 25-15).
Head coach Ping Wang acknowledged that the team appeared nervous in their first match.
“The girls were excited to play at home for the first time,” Wang said. “I could tell they were a little nervous against Salina South, and I think we could have played better in the second game.”
With a largely new varsity lineup this season, Wang emphasized that the team is still getting used to playing together. He noted that the players’ effort in practice directly influences their performance in games.
“They’re improving,” Wang said. “I remind them every day that how they practice is how they’ll play. We have things we work on daily, and though we are a young team, everyone is learning to gel together.”
One of the new varsity players, sophomore Aubrey Hess, expressed her satisfaction with the team’s progress and the two wins.
“It felt good to win both matches tonight,” Hess said. “We’re starting to figure out how to play as a team and communicate better, and it’s really coming together.”
Emporia, now 12-6 on the season, will travel to Hayden next Thursday, Sept. 26, for a triangular with Manhattan, starting at 5 p.m.
