Highlands Middle School volleyball team loses 2-0 to Cullowhee

Highlands Middle School volleyball team played as a cohesive unit, used the basic fundamentals of volleyball, and executed plays straight out of the bump, set, spike handbook, but it just wasn’t meant to be. Cullowhee defeated Highlands 2-0 yesterday at home.

Sydney Figel sends the ball over the net with authority against Cullowhee on Wednesday. Highlands middle school volleyball lost 2-0.

“I think we played good,” said 6th-grader Sydney Figel. “Especially because they’re really good servers.”

And Figel wasn’t joking, Cullowhee consistently hammered bombs over the net that Highlands had difficulties returning.

Jasmine Oakley picks up the serve and bumps a pass.

In hindsight, Figel said there were some things they could have done better.

“I mean, we could have talked a bit more,” she said. “But overall we did really well.”

6th-grader Aislyn Luck was on the same page as Figel in terms of their performance on the court last night.

“I think we did pretty good, but we could have talked more,” said Luck. “Their serves were really hard.”

Aislyn Luck bumps a free ball against Cullowhee.

Highlands MS volleyball team plays away at Hiawassee Dam tonight at 5 p.m. and the girls know they’re in for a challenge. However, they are collectively facing that challenge with confidence stepping onto another team’s home court.

“It doesn’t faze me at all, it’s just another court,” said Luck.

Highlands Middle School volleyball kept their spirits high despite the scoreboard.

But not all the players shake off hitting the road so easily. Figel said there was a bit more to it when the team has to travel.

“Well they let us out of school early, but we can’t play until we finish our homework, so we really got to get that done,” said Figel. “And then how much homework we have and where we play determines when we leave. It’s pretty crazy.”