Union’s Morgan Smith sets her teammates up for a play.
Union converging on a ball from East Bladen to return it over the net.
Spartan Brianna Barnes sets the ball up, in anticipation for a return spike.
Union’s Morgan Smith jumps up to get the ball back over.
On Tuesday, Union High School’s volleyball team faced East Bladen in the first game of the season. The match was a fierce contest, with the Spartans battling hard through all three sets but ultimately falling short against the Eagles.
The game began with high energy from both sides. UHS junior Emelie Reyna and senior Morgan Smith set the tone early with effective teamwork. Their coordination was evident as they assisted each other in scoring, keeping Union competitive throughout the first set.
However, East Bladen quickly adapted, leveraging their serves and effective communication to build a lead. Despite Union’s efforts, they lost the first set 25-16.
In the second set, Union came in with renewed determination. Senior Brianna Barnes became a key player. UHS missed two recoverable balls, giving East Bladen an early advantage. UHS scored several points due to East Bladen’s errors, as the Eagles occasionally faltered. Haley Hazelwood, a junior, also played a crucial role, providing well-placed passes and strategic plays. Despite these efforts, Union could not overcome East Bladen’s consistent play, resulting in another loss in the second set, 25-17.
The third set saw Union in a must-win situation, as the team turned to their key players for support. Haley Hazelwood continued to excel with her assists, keeping the ball in play and creating scoring opportunities. Emelie Reyna and Morgan Smith once again teamed up, with Smith setting up Reyna for several successful plays.
Junior Leslie Solorazano delivered a crucial serve that earned a point for Union. Even with these efforts, East Bladen’s number one server posed a significant challenge, and their strong communication and tactical play secured their victory, completing a sweep of the match, ending the third set with a final score of 25-13.
After the game, Union’s coach, Blake Travers, was candid about the team’s performance. “We have a strong team with a lot of potential, but there are areas we need to improve,” he said. “Our system needs to be stronger, and we need to address some passing errors that cost us points. But overall, I’m proud of the effort the girls put in tonight.”
Coach Travers emphasized the importance of teamwork and communication, noting these will be key areas of focus in upcoming practices. “We’re going to work on building a stronger system where every player knows their role and can execute it confidently. Our passing needs to be more accurate, and our serves need to be more consistent. But these are things we can fix with hard work and dedication.”
Although the loss to East Bladen was challenging, it offered valuable lessons for the Union Spartans.
The team showed glimpses of their potential, with notable performances from players such as Reyna, Smith, and Hazelwood. With Coach Travers’ guidance and a commitment to addressing their weaknesses, Union has the opportunity to improve as the season progresses.
As Coach Travers noted, the potential is there — it’s now a matter of translating that potential into results.
As the season continues, the Union Spartans will face more challenges. For now, Union will regroup and refocus as they prepare for their next match.
The support of their fans and the community will be crucial as they strive to make their mark in the high school volleyball scene.