The Lincoln East varsity volleyball team went up against the Kearney Bearcats, on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 at East. The Spartans this season have a record of 14-7. After losses against Millard West High School and Papillion-La Vista High School from the past two games, they were looking for a way to come back.

In the first set, the Bearcats started off with the ball and scored the first point. However the Spartans responded, keeping the score close. Around 6 minutes into the first set, the game was tied 12-12. Despite being tied early, the Spartans pulled through the first set winning, 25-22. After the first set, this gave the Spartans an upper hand and carried this momentum for the next two sets.

In the second set, junior, Aaliyah Bradford, is the first to serve. Again, the Bearcats score the first point, but the Spartans aren’t going down without a fight. Towards the end of the set, junior, Megan Waters, blocks the ball against the Bearcats and scores a point. Making the score 21-15. This sets the Spartans up to win the rest of the second set. A kill from junior, Shandy Faalii, scores the last point making the final score of set two, 25-18.

In the last set, Shandy Faalii, a junior, served the ball and when the Bearcats hit the ball back over to the Spartans, the block from Alexandra Rasmussen, a sophomore scored the last point.

“We focus on the process and trust that if everybody does their job, we’ll get the outcome we want,” Varsity Volleyball coach, Nicole Johnson, said.

For the rest of the season, the goal for the Spartan varsity volleyball is for the team to be successful and work together as a team. With only three games left, the Spartans must use perseverance to push to the end of the season.

Junior Shandy Faalii, one of the captain of East’s team, gave a vast amount of energy during all three sets. Even though there were some plays that didn’t go in the Spartan’s favor, she was a leader out on the court and represented what Spartan volleyball is about.

“She’s that person that you want on your team,” Johnson said. “And what’s awesome is we have so many pieces to our puzzle and she is someone that allows people to be successful.”