Finally, league play started this week against Benicia. The Dons visited the Panthers on Thursday night, hoping to start on the right foot.  Well, the first two sets didn’t go as planned.  Having trouble on all aspects of our play, the Varsity Lady Dons looked poised to get swept three sets to none and have a quiet ride back home to Lafayette.  With Coach Haley giving a huge pep talk after set 2, the girls started playing and communicating much better.  #9 Piper Coy had a kill to build the momentum in set three.  #10 Annie Baker came with a high flying kill to help the team start to believe that a comeback was possible.  #7 MaeLin had a sweet kill after a great set by #16 Emme Seelenbacher.  Emme also had an amazing block to fire up her teammates.  The Dons won 25-23 in set number 3 to extend the match.

Looking to build off the momentum from the last set, the Dons came out hot with Piper and Annie doing their part with more kills.  #12 Addy Treter had a roof block to give us another point.   Emme had a phenomenal dig and gave us a chance to win the point.  #15 Rena Liu continued her hot serving that allowed the Dons to get a sizable lead that would be very tough to come back from.  MaeLin also continued her killer ways with kill after kill that thwarted any thoughts of a comeback from the home team Panthers.  The Dons went on to win the 4^th set 25-15 and force a set 5.

Set 5 would decide who wins the match.  With the 5^th set going to only 15, both teams tried to get an early lead to put pressure on the other side.  #4 Mika Bocobo continued her season long consistent serving getting the Dons an early lead.  #17 Sophia Terry had a vicious kill to make the Panthers take inventory on all their extremities.  Emme pulled a fast one by faking a set and tossing it right over the net in an open spot to give us another point.  Up 16-15, MaeLin had a shot to finish it off with a kill and did not disappoint, giving the Dons a hard fought 17-15 win in set 5 and their first league win.  Coming back from being down 0-2 in sets, on the road no less, will hopefully be something the Dons can look back on and learn, that they are never out of it.