Volleyball Week 2

The results weren't as good as last week, but it was still fun! We finished with a 1-2 record, as the other team was both more talented and more consistent. They had a bunch of big hitters, and also seemed to get every bounce as balls that seemed out stayed just in. We didn't play especially well either, and were shorthanded for a bit when when of our players left briefly with a thumb injury in the first game. She was able to ultimately return midway through the second game but was somewhat less effective than usual. We thus lost one of our good setters, and also a spiker as one of the guys had to rotate to the setting position instead. It felt good to come back in the last game and get a win, but we all felt that we could have and should have played better.

I once again played pickup after our games, and had a pretty good time. It's a really good chance to work on specific parts of your game without too many consequences. I focused on my overhand serve, and I'm comfortable enough with it now to start using it in games for real. It's not a great weapon yet, but puts a bit more pressure on the other team than just getting it over the net. I also tried to be more aggressive at the net. Applying more power is worth the effort now, since even though it will occasionally go long, often the other player will attempt to block and touch the ball. Instead of worrying about hitting it long I've focused on just hitting it hard. Timing is pretty critical to a good spike, you need to hit it with full extension at the peak of your jump. It's a good feeling when you catch one right though...