Owing to the fact that they were playing on TV, girls volleyball had to perform in prime condition. And perform they did, defeating Conant in a two-set to none victory on Sept. 19. The match proved to be a nail-biter, with each set coming down to the final few points. The Vikings were able to get the job done, remaining undefeated in conference play so far this season. 

The two teams traded blows early on, with the score shifting back and forth in either team’s favor. As the first set progressed, Conant established a comfortable five-point lead. Nonetheless, the Vikings refused to give up, rallying back off of big kills from outside hitters Rylen and Breslen Reid. The sisters finished with 20 kills combined.

With the set nearing its end, Fremd was trailing 23-24. An ace from senior setter Lydia Vander Ark evened up the game at 24. An attempted spike from Conant went out of bounds on the next play, giving Fremd the advantage at 25. A clutch kill from Rylen closed out the set 26-24. 

Senior right-side hitter Cassie Seaver details how the team’s grit and energy helped them come out on top. 

”Our energy was really good towards the end of the first set,” Seaver said. “Even when we were down, we kept fighting to get back up, and eventually; we were able to pull through.”

The second set, while still competitive, proved to be slightly more comfortable for the Vikings, as they were able to maintain a lead throughout the set. Conant, however, would not let the gap grow too large as they always stayed within a few points. Ultimately, strong defense and excellent offense helped the Vikings finish the set out 25-21. 

Setters Rian Baker and Vander Ark facilitated the ball well, finishing with 13 and 11 assists respectively. Sophomore libero Izzy Segoviano anchored the defense with seven digs, to go along with fantastic passes in serve-receive. 

Vander Ark reflects on the team’s consistent confidence on the court.  

“There’s never really a moment in anyone’s mind that we’re going to lose,” Vander Ark said. “If people make a mistake, then we just shake it off, and we’re just ready for the next point.”

After the victory against the Cougars, the Vikings also won the Glenbard West Invite on Sept. 21 and improved to 4-0 in the conference after defeating Schaumburg on Sept. 25. They will face off against Barrington on Sept. 27 to wrap up their first round of conference play.