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Reaching over the net, opposite hitter Iris Huddleston ’28 blocks an incoming ball during the third set. As the closest set among the three, the third set ended 25-15 in a victory for the Warriors.
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Focused, Juliet Guyton ’28 prepares to set a ball across the net during the third set. Although the Warriors grew tired as the game went on, they persevered and triumphed over the McNeil Mavericks.
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Aiming her decorated ball at the audience, setter Lila Wellington ’27 hypes up attendees right before the game. Before every game, every player traditionally throws their personalized ball into the audience, garnering cheers and hyping up the stadium; moments like these foster bonds between the team, an essential of good collaboration. “Communication is a big part of [collaboration],” Wellington said. “Before the play, we always talk about either what we’re running, what we’re doing, and then we just have to execute it.”
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Jumping, setter Juliet Guyton ’28 hits a ball in the air for her teammates to send over the net during the third set. As one of the few sophomores on the varsity team, Guyton showed renewed strength in her sets and hits.
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Concentrated, middle blocker Grace McCluskey ’26 raises her hand to block an incoming ball during the third set. This game brought McCluskey to over 500 kills, an incredible feat showing her volleyball skillset that she plans to bring to Washington University in St. Louis next year as a recruited college athlete. “I just have the mindset of actions speak louder than words,” McCluskey said. “I’m no better than the rest of them. We win and lose as a team, so I just make sure that I control the controllables and that I always try to uplift the team. I have to prove to the younger kids that I can keep doing this, and that I’m here for a reason and that I also have to just prove it to myself. This is my senior year. I have to go all out for it.”
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Straining, setter Lila Wellington ’27 hoists middle blocker Piper Evans ’27 up for support as she reaches to block the ball during the third set. In addition to being key players in this game, Wellington and Evans have perfected collaborative techniques, helping them execute refined plays. “We always discuss what we’re running before the serve goes over,” Evans said. “We keep a good energy that helps us with our connection.”
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Blocking the ball, right-side hitter and middle blocker Piper Evans ’27 hits the ball over the net during the first set. The Warriors emerged victorious in the first set by a landslide of 25-8. “It’s definitely refreshing [to win],” Evans sad. “It’s good for your mental because we know we can win a game, but Friday is going to be challenging because we’re against Round Rock.”
In a swift three-set sweep, the varsity volleyball team defeated the McNeil Mavericks in their first home win of the season on Tuesday, Sept. 9. Not only did the Warriors take home the victory against the Mavericks, they also held McNeil to under 32 points combined between the three sets with a final score of 3-0.
“[Our] goals [going into the game] were a two point out passing, which for sure we made that, good hitting, this game we definitely had a bunch of kills, and to have better energy on the court,” Grace McCluskey ‘26 said.
Jumping into the game, full of fire, the Warriors scored the first point to open up the set. Sliding with this rhythm, Dakota Hodge ‘26 used her libero tactics to make shifty saves for the ball. On top of that, McCluskey fired up her team with multiple aces, putting McNeil in a bind. After Westwood had a 5-0 run, the Mavericks were forced to call a timeout. Keeping the streak alive however, the Warriors were able to gain the first point post-timeout. Finally ending Westwood’s possession, McNeil got a kill, bringing the score 11-5. However, McNeil didn’t hold possession long, as Piper Evans ‘27 used powerful hits to catch McNeil off guard and give Westwood the advantage. After a 7-0 run by the Warriors, the Mavericks were forced to take another timeout. Coming out of the timeout, Evans kept consistency at the net, adding a few more kills to her count while keeping up with the blocks alongside Emma Waghorne ‘27. After an easy few points for the Warriors, Caroline Miller ‘28 spiked the ball and got Westwood the win. The final score of the first set was 25-8.
“Good serves honestly just come with tons of practice and knowing when you need to slow down on your serve versus when you need to speed up to catch them off guard,” Hodge said.
Swinging right into the second set, Evans got a fast kill to start off the set. Following this, Westwood was able to hold possession for quite some time as Waghorne scored a total of four aces in a row for the Warriors. McNeil was quick to call a timeout, hoping to slow the trend of aces from Westwood. Shortly after the timeout, the Mavericks put their first point of the set on the board with a block. However, McCluskey was quick to answer with multiple back-to-back kills against the Mavericks. As Westwood’s lead grew, the Mavericks became increasingly discombobulated, shanking balls and missing open receivers. After a few more strong hits from McCluskey, Westwood took the win in the second set. The final score of the second set was 25-8.
“Against McNeil, it’s just important that we keep our composure,” Hodge said. “Staying calm and making sure nobody gets restless is super important [in a game like this].”
Following their previous pattern, the Warriors opened the set by claiming the first point with a nifty net play by Lila Wellington ‘27. Using their serve game and hits from Evans and McCluskey, the Warriors stretched the opening score 6-0. However, as the set continued, the Warriors began to ease up on the Mavericks. This gave the Mavericks the perfect opportunity to slip in and advance their score. Doing exactly that, McNeil had a few kills and tips near the net in an attempt to gain momentum against the Warriors. The Warriors startled defense did not let that stop them from continuing to work together and make the right plays on offense. As Westwood began to get their defense back in check, they started to pull players from the bench to add a different dynamic to end the set. McNeil, looking to break down Westwood’s consistency, called a timeout. This, however, was not successful in slowing the Warriors; in fact, the Warriors exited the timeout and scored the first point after reentering the court. Closing the set with simple net plays and solid defense, the Warriors swept the set and the game. The final score of the third set was 25-15.
“I think we played great,” Wellington said. “I’m very proud of Grace for her 500 kills, and I think that kind of goes with the whole team. We all worked together to get that accomplishment, and I’m really proud of us.”
Looking to carry over their rhythm to the next game, the Warriors will take the court again at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 12, against the Round Rock Dragons.
![Focused, Grace Toledo '28 prepares to set the ball, as part of the warm up. Toledo played a crucial role in backrow during the Warrior's game against the Raiders. "[In the third set] we fixed our serves, and filled in the gaps," Toledo said.](https://westwoodhorizon.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Edit_2025-09-16_JVO-Volleyball-vs-Cedar-Ridge_PreeyaPanwalker_1-e1758381918417-697x1200.jpg)
