Blair topples Paint Branch in Dig Pink game

On Thursday Oct. 16, Blair girls’ varsity volleyball hosted a “Dig Pink” game, a continuation of the mission to spread awareness for breast cancer and fundraise to help support this cause.Throughout the match, Blair was able to keep their morale high and wipe out Paint Branch. In each set, Blair celebrated constantly as they stung aces together, while the Panthers struggled to communicate properly, fumbling several serves. 

Volleyball 1

Photo: Team morale was high as players made successful strikes and aces throughout all three games.

Team morale was high as players made successful strikes and aces throughout all three games. Photo courtesy of Bruno Resetarits.

Even before the game started, the energy in the gym was abundant. Ribbons and balloons decorated the room, and players were wearing pink shirts while they warmed up. 

After getting the first few points, Blair quickly got into a rhythm as they started with a 5-0 lead. Excellent serving, spiking, and blocking by all players on the team built a dominant foundation. On the other side of the court, the Panthers seemed to struggle with their serving after earning a few points, causing the lead to widen. 

One of the key moments of the first game was a streak of aces by junior outside hitter Toftaa Fedhaa, which widened the gap from 13-7 to 24-7. She attributed her success in today’s game to practice, mentioning how her coach had focused on getting consistent serves. “I had a lot of aces because I practiced so many serves, making sure my serves [were] at the right spots and hit the seams,” she said. 

Volleyball 2

Photo: Players wore pink shirts and pink ribbons to support the cause for breast cancer awareness.

Players wore pink shirts and pink ribbons to support the cause for breast cancer awareness. Photo courtesy of Bruno Resetarits.



Although Paint Branch attempted to make a comeback start, they ultimately fumbled a serve at match point and ended the game at 25-10. 

After the first set, Blair incentivized the audience to donate to a breast cancer awareness fundraiser, setting up a serving competition. Participants who donated contributions of at least one dollar were able to attempt to serve at a target for a chance to win a free volleyball t-shirt. 

The game-ending aces that skyrocketed the Blazers’ success in the first set were also present in the second and third. The gap only widened as the sets continued, and Blair kept their high spirits throughout the entire match. Paint Branch struggled to find a response to Blair’s high-caliber gameplay, and miscommunication caused delayed responses to the ball. Eventually, the Blazers won each set comfortably with at least a 14-point gap. 

The way that the Blazers played this game indicates a strong future for the team, as they have improved to create a wider gap in points compared to previous matches with teams of the same skill level. Coach Jenna Feinauer shared that she was pleased with the outcome of this game, stating they were able to achieve a goal that they had previously set. “I was pleasantly surprised to sweep them in three sets and keep them under 11 points, because that was our goal earlier on in the season with teams about the same level, and we weren’t able to reach that,” she stated. “ Finally, now we are, and I’m really excited for them that we got that goal.”  

The girls’ varsity volleyball team is against the Quince Orchard Cougars (away) on Oct. 20. Tickets can be purchased here.