No joke.  20 years.  It’s been 20 freakin’ YEARS since our women beat the Campo cougars in a varsity contest.  In 2004 Ushers, “Yeah!’ was the top song, Lord of the Rings, Return of the King won the Oscar, the Boston Red Sox won the World Series, Tom Brady and the Patriots won the Super Bowl and Facebook launched to students at Harvard only…and none of these girls were even born!  Whoa.  Honestly, if I’d known this at the game…my head might have exploded!!!  What an accomplishment by our girls who hung in and NEVER quit to bring home the W!

The season opener against your rival at home.  Does it get better??? And our Dons were locked and loaded for a tough game they knew would require all of their focus and 100% of their heart. 

Give it to me!  

The freshman dropped the first set in a heartbreaker 24-26 and the second set was a nail biter, but ultimately the Frosh Dons fell to the Cougars in the first match of the night. 

The JV team had an ax to grind. Sporting their camo warm up jerseys, the JV Dons looked strong. Unfortunately, even after an impressive comeback back in the second set, our tough JV squad fell to the Cougars. 

So it was up to the Varsity Dons to take our game to Campo in our yard to defend our home turf! 

It’s time to take the mantle back and let a new era begin. And ohhhhh you can feel it! The anticipation is palpable in the gym…and the excitement in here as the 2024 Dons girls Varsity team take the court is WILD!!!!  

Starting lineup to bring it: MaeLin Mason, Addi Ames, Annie Baker, Emme Seelenbacher, Addy Treter, and Stella Larkin take the court!  Here we gooooooo!! 

Cougars take first blood with a strong serve and the teams shake off some jitters in front of this raucous, almost sell-out crowd. 

Stella Larkin serving at 2-2. A strong DART and 3 touches from Campo precede a HUGE strike from Campo’s number 11 (we’ll hear from her a few times tonight.) but a CRAZY dig by Stella to keep the serve.

And serve she did!

After a 4 point streak by Stella, it’s 6-2 Dons forcing an early TO by Campo. Feel the VIBE!!!

But Campo started to get some confidence and brought the game to a tie at 9 in the first set.  Amazing saves by Stella, Addi Ames, MaeLin Mason and Rena Liu to keep it alive and take points from the Cougars and at 11-9 Dons, Sydney Scovic takes the rock. 

Cougar save, set, slam but then our own save, set and Addy Treter with a JAM in the back corner…I think there is a dent in the floor! 12-10 Dons.

Sure the Cougars have a player or two they rely on for most all of their points. But the Dons know they’ve got the talent across the board. The Dons bench is DEEP! And they play their game. On their terms and at their pace.

HO BOY! A freaking miracle save by Stella with one hand!!!

And a killer save in the back court by Addi Ames to keep it alive! Amazing serve by Addi and later a killer Emme Seelenbacher to MaeLin slam to support Rena’s serve. 

And it’s 18-15 Dons. 

Incredible sideline support from all the girls! Notable effort from Christina Hageboek, Addy Treter and Sela Sarbiewski. Coordinated moves, high fives and real intensity from our sideline is a massive part of the Dons secret sauce. 

Emme serving 21-18. It’s tight. Bing, bang, boom. Emme Stella Addi and it’s 22-18. 

24-18 Emme serving. Ooof, the Cougars limp it over the net to take it back. 

24-19

24-20

24-21

What is happening??? 

And Coach Haley takes a TO to settle and grab a breath.

A ball into the net and its 24-23 Dons. We need to break them right here. 

A flat block at the net and it’s tied 24 a piece. Campo winds up and serves…out! 

25-24. 

Dons serve and Addi Ames has the ball, straight back, returned by Campo, Stella – Emme –  MaeLin to the back corner F T W!!!

Set 1 in the bag for the Dons. 

Set 2.

Starting lineup for the second set is MaeLin Mason, Addy Treter, Piper Coy, Annie Baker, Emme Seelenbacher and Stella Larkin. 

Awesome team spirit on the sidelines in set 2 by Kylah Rose Fox, Maggie Krackeler and Ellie  Blanchard with epic cheers and crushing volume.  The electric energy in the building is all over the place, the players on the court, on the sidelines, the coaches and parents are ALL contributing to this incredible atmosphere!!

Emme to serve. And after a quick rally, the Cougars take first blood again. But…REJECTED at the net by Annie Baker and Piper Coy gets the serve. 

CRAZY Stella save right to Annie for the SLAM into the back corner!!!  BOOM!!! Holy wide world of sports!

2-1 Dons. But a 2 hand call and it goes to the cougars. 2-2. 

A killer rally with crushing blows and amazing saves but the point goes to the cougars. 2-4

And at 2-5 Coach Haley takes a time out. 

Stella to serve 3-5. Back to the cougars at 4-6. But the Cougars give it right back and Rena goes to work. Great get by Rena, one handed Piper save, rejection at the net!!! And Dons take the point! Knotted at 6. This is going to be a battle. 

Sydney Scovic fires it into the backcourt with authority! And a follow up STUFF at the net by Scovic to make it 8-6. 

Cougars take it back and it’s 9-7 Dons. 

With some help from the basketball gear and I-Beams in the ceiling, the cougars tie it up at 9. 

What an amazing rally with MeaLin feeding Piper to take it back. But the Cougars counter immediately in what’s turning into a ping pong match. 10-10. 

Great saves and hits on both sides as these girls settle in to fight for their W. 

Oh so pretty!  Emme to Treater with authority. Slam!!

12-13 Cougars. 

13-14 Cougars. 

Man this thing is out of HAND!!!  16 a piece!! 

Scovic to serve. Sydney winds up to deliver the fastball into the Campo back court…I mean that thing packed a wallop, you can’t hit that!! The velocity was clocked at like 115 MPH or something!

But a few exchanges go sideways and it’s 17-20 Cougars and Coach Haley calls a TO. 

You can feel the intensity in the gym…and the heat. It’s packed with Aca blue because we SHOW UP! But Campo fans were rolling deep too and the gym was all Red and Blue, the students from both schools chanted taunts at each other and the parents lost their voices in support of our girls! 

Dons take the point and Emme serves, but a clever Cougar dump of the ball allowed them to take it back. Piper answers with a frozen ROPE to the back corner! KUH-BOOM!!

The cougars are within 2 of taking the second set. 19-23. 

A crazy series of ricochets don’t go our way and it’s 19-24. Cougars. 

Second set to the Cougars. 19-25.

Set 3.

Starting lineup for the third set is Annie Baker, Addy Treter, Emme Seelenbacher, Addi Ames, MaeLin Mason and Stella Larkin. Sydney Graves, Valeria Toledo and Ellie Blanchard drowning out the CROWD supporting their team on the side. 

And then Dons take first blood!! Addi Ames ACE! THE AAA!!!

2-0 Dons. 

Cougars go on a micro streak and it’s 2-3 Cougars. 

A KILLER rally puts the ball in what we thought was the Dons hands but was negated with 4 touches…

MaeLin showed some serious focus and FIRED the ball down the proverbial pipe with INTENT to take a point and give the ball to Rena.  A bullet over the net and the Cougars managed to put it back to us, but Emme, Addie, MaeLin BOOM. POW SMASH. POINT Dons!

And the campo point maker finds herself in front of a WALL of rejection as Emme and Sydney say, “Not in our house!”

6-6

Some crazy saves, blocks, smashes and oh my! 7-8 cougars. 

Back and forth. Forth and back. Holy mackerel this match is leaving me with no fingernails!!

10-10. I mean…

Treter with the slap to the floor, “Whose backyard?!” What a night for Addy Treter!

Oh, say, do you think they will set it to their playmaker?  Of course they will…that’s why Emme is right there to DENY her!

Maelin ACE!! The Cougars put it in play and some serious acrobatics by Stella and Rena but tough to keep it off the floor and it’s 16-18 Cougars. And then Addi Ames with a CANNON to the back corner baby!!! WOOT!!! You can’t HANDLE the truth!!

Emme slammed the ball and I do not know how but they saved it…only to have Treter shove it right back down their throat giving Emme the serve who  smashes it to tie it up at 19!!!

20-19 Dons. 

And a T-OHOHOHOHOH!!! by Campo-oh-oh-oh-ohhhhh-oh.

Addi Ames comes to the line and fires the cannon with authority!! But the Cougars get a break and it’s 21-20 Dons. Cougar serve. 

The point maker for Cougars puts in on the wood and it’s tied at 21. 

21-22 and Coach Haley takes a TO. 

21-22

21-23

21-24

TO coach Haley. 

21-24 and the Dons await the serve, but unfortunately the Cougars score and take the third set. 

4th set. 

A quick open for the Cougars and it’s 1-4 when Coach Haley takes a TO to settle. It’s time to dig deep and put it all on the line. 

Cougars big points on parade stopped at the Net again by Treter. Crazy rally goes our way.  3-5 cougars. 

Scovic with a smash ball right down Broadway!! 4-6 cougars and Rena serves. 

ACE!!!

A series of strong plays at the net and a few saves; just like that MaeLin serves to a tie score 8-8. 

Trading points one point at a time until a short slide and at 10-14 and Coach Haley calls a time out.  

This is a turning point right here. These girls have worked hard, stood tall and focused on their game, playing their game their way and are fighting every single moment to win. 

The ball finally falls our way and the Dons get the serve and go up by 1. 15-14. 

Set by Emme and SOPHIA TERRY to the back of the court with the Cannon!!!  I think there is something lacquer missing from the floor. Whoa, that thing had some MUSTARD on it!

But Campo manages to take it right back and it’s 16-17 Cougars. C’mon!

Of course Sydney Scovic wasn’t having any of that and smacked a rejected ball at the net right to the WOOD!!  Splinters maybe even!

18-18. 

19-18

20-18 dons and a time out by Campo. Campo feeling the weight of the situation, the gravity of the consequences.  Bragging rights, a 20 year win streak. Is it all almost over?!?!?!

And the Cougars come out of the gate and take it back. 

20-19

20-20 

21-20 Dons on an Addi Ames smackdown! 

SYDNEY SCOVIC ACE!!!

22-20

Emme to Sophia for ANOTHER crushing blow, she needs a license for that cannon I think!

23-20

23-21

24-21

A tough break on a dropped ball and Cougar serve 

24-23

And the cross court SMASH to give the Dons the fourth set and we’re going to give sets y’all!!

LSet 5 tie breaker!

And out come Sophia Terry, Emme Seelenbacher, Addi Ames, Annie Baker, MaeLin Mason, and Stella Larkin.  And you can feel it in their stride.  This is their house, this is their team, this is their MATCH BABY!!

First blood to Campo. It’s happened before.  But we quickly even it out and put the rock in Addi”s hands. 

And Sophia with the SMASH followed by Annie with the back corner and it’s 3-1. 

Cougars manage to take one and it’s 3-2

MaeLin lines it right where they ain’t to take the ball and give Stella the serve. 

ACE!!!!

5-3 Dons. 

Cougar point. 5-4. 

But Scovic with some killer net play to take it right back. 

6-4 Dons. 

6-5 Dons. Cougar serve. 

I mean these girls are battling!!

Bing bang boom. And it’s 7-5 on some special play by MaeLin all OVER the court!  

Addi Ames POWER. 8-5 dons TO Cougars!!!  Can you FEEL IT?!?!

Back on court and MaeLin to serve. Scovic with the STUFF!!! Puffin-stuff; double stuff, CRUSH!!

9-6 Dons. 

10-6 Dons

But the Cougars take it right back. 10-7. 

And Sophia makes it HAPPEN with a CRUSHING blow. 11-7 Dons and Emme with the rock. 

A lite touch by Addi Ames and it’s  12-7. 

I don’t know how it happened, but somehow they blocked Sophia‘s slam to take the ball back…unreal. This game, I mean wow. 

Annie with a smash and it’s 13-8. But their big arm took her opportunity to smash it back and it’s 13-9 Dons. Cougar serve. 

14-9 

But wait… it’s now 13-10, that’s the wrong direction man!

But it doesn’t matter because we have ANNIE BAKER. Who just THROTTLES the ball to take that point right back!

14-9 this time for real and with the game on the line, the steady hand Stella Larkin serves FTW!!!

What an exhausting, amazing, [insert your own superlative here!] of a night! These girls do not quit, they don’t let it get to them. They are chemistry. Wow. And what an incredible coaching job by the entire coaching crew! Set ’em up and knock’ em down. 

Hats off to the Campo squad and their supporters!  A tough fought incredible match. 

Way to go Dons!!!