Menlo girls volleyball triumphed over M-A in a nail-biting match on Thurs, Sept. 5. The match ended 3-1, with the second set being particularly tough for the Knights. 

In the first set, which resulted in a 25-20 win for the Knights, the M-A Bears and Knights were neck and neck until the very end. By the second set, the Knights fell behind and found it difficult to make a recovery, leading to their loss of 15-25. “M-A entered the second set with a lot more determination and energy. We were kind of caught off guard and it took most of the second set for us to get back on our feet. We had a quick huddle after the second set and emphasized that we couldn’t become cocky about winning the first [set]. […] We came out a lot more focused in the third,” Junior Roxy Karr said, who had an impressive game. 

Energized with vengeance, the Knights flipped the score on M-A in the third set, winning 25-15. The Knights finished strong with a fourth set ending 25 to 17. 

Karr, sophomore Kami Israelski, and sophomore Sharon Nejad were impactful players due to their impressive kills. Karr totaled 17 kills, while Israelski and Nejad each contributed 6 of their own kills. Nejad was also a force to be reckoned with at the net, with three blocks made. Senior leibarou Abby Holleran also contributed heavily with consistent serves and 14 digs. Holleran successfully served 16 times and had four aces. 

The Knights’ next game is against rival SHP on Thurs, Sept. 12. According to Karr, the Knights plan to focus on positioning their center blocker in the right spot when defending against SHP. “SHP has a couple of hitters that can hit sharp angled shots, and […] we don’t have many […] tall blockers, so it’s even more important for us to be in the right position when blocking,” Karr said.