Lane dominated both sets against Ag Science on Sept. 9, winning 25-9 and 25-13 with strong serving and defense setting the tone early. The sense of school spirit was clear as families and teachers cheered loudly from the bleachers, setting the stage for a lively matchup. “We were very energetic and proud to be Lane,” sophomore Sophia Mendez said.

This win was particularly important for Lane as they bounced back from a 3-7 record so far this season after struggling with roster challenges. Injuries and illnesses have limited the team’s full roster and left the team without consistency in the recent weeks. Head Coach Kwong said that the team is focused on bringing back its chemistry.

“We’ve had a lot of illnesses, injuries, and just different reasons why our team missed this tournament and previous tournaments,” Coach Kwong said. “So we just wanted to make sure we were building that cohesiveness once again, because once we do that, I know we’re going to fire on all cylinders and do really well.”

Kwong highlighted the team’s defense and hitter-setter relationships as they showed to be the biggest strengths of the night. “We pass pretty well, and I really like the way that we were picking up balls on defense, and we’re slowly starting to build the hitter-setter connections,” Kwong said. “So we still have more work to do, but I thought I looked a little better today. ”

Libero Lena Palus stood out with a strong performance, delivering 7 aces and 9 digs. An ace is a serve that lands directly on the opponent’s court without a return or being touched, while digs are defensive plays where players can prevent the ball from touching the court after an opponent’s attack, usually spikes or fast ball hits. For her, the biggest challenge was maintaining the team’s competitiveness and eliminating mistakes. 

“It’s all about mentality against teams like this,” Palus said. 

Palus also credited communication and keeping a positive energy as keys to her role. “As a libero, I think it’s really important to be really vocal, so I think I’m doing a great job at that,” she said. “I think I did well at cheering on my team and then keeping up the positive energy against the other team.”

Fans noticed the team’s enthusiasm as well and cheered after nearly every point. Lane Tech’s bench joined in too, creating a positive and encouraging atmosphere that matched Palus’s.

Looking forward, the team is motivated by what lies on the road ahead. “We’ve just got to continue to minimize mistakes and just continue to build on every win and get ready for state and city playoffs,” Kwong said. 

Palus echoed this optimism, saying she wants to carry on the team’s positive attitude and mindset to their next performances. “And I think just every game, we just get better, so I just want to keep going at that,” she said.

Lane will hold their next game against the Amundsen Vikings on Sept. 25.