Five straight losses.

 

If you stopped following the Lady Oakies after these losses, you would have missed out on some of the most exciting volleyball of the year, but I wouldn't blame you if you did. 

 

Coming off their first week of games, they were 1-1 and looking to have a competitive season. Yet somewhere along that way, its spark was lost. Coming out of the 0-3 loss to Park Hill, the girls lost four more straight, being bested by Fort Osage (0-3), Kearney (2-3), Park Hill South (0-3), and Liberty (0-3)

 

Then the ladies found their spark when they battled Raytown at home, winning that game 3-0. Was the spark back? That game showed what the Oakies were really capable of, with the first set being close at 25-22. Then the girls stepped on the gas, winning their next set 25-9 and the third 25-16. 

 

Coming off that win against Raytown, the girls traveled up north to St. Joseph Central to face the Indians. This game was a lot closer, yet the girls kept that hope to win alive and won the first two sets 25-20 and 25-21. The game had been pretty close to this point, and the Oakies let up the third set 19-25. They didn't let that get them down and won the fourth 25-20.

 

Ending their third week of games, the Oakies were looking hot, 3-5, and on a two-game win streak. They traveled to Winnetonka for the annual dig for a cure match, a match done by Nkcschools every year to raise money and awareness towards breast cancer research. This was the first time we had seen such a dominant Oak Park Team. Winning 3-0 with the first two sets being 25-10 and 25-13. The 3rd set was the only close one, but still won 25-21.

 

This success has been a very good effort from the team as a whole, but one standout player in a three-game win streak has been junior Claire Place. She led the first win of the streak with an eleven-point serving run, having 5 aces in the game against Raytown. Then, in their travel to central, she had 6 more, establishing herself as a feared arm to return. Not having as many opportunities to serve in the Winnatoka game, she was still able to put up 3 aces, averaging 4.7 per game. 

 

That said, the Oakies still have a tough fight in their game tonight against the Liberty Blue Jays, who already beat them (0-3) this year. Hopes are high for the Lady Oakies to become a .500 team and look to have a winning record when they face Northtown on Wednesday.