On Sept. 19, 2023, Oxford Academy hosted its annual WOW games, with girls volleyball facing off against Whitney, Oxford’s long-standing rival. The varsity team won, dominating 3-1, while both Frosh/Soph and JV played tightly-contested sets where Whitney won by a mere two to three point difference.
Frosh/Soph opened the WOW games with a promising lead over Whitney. As the first set progressed, however, the Wildcats slowly gained the upper-hand, winning more rallies and outpacing the Lady Patriots in scoring. In the second set, Frosh/Soph opted for more offensive plays to claim the set and push for a third. The score was tied 23-23 in the closing minutes, but the Wildcats, carrying their momentum from the first set, managed to score two consecutive points and end the game, 0-2.
Following Frosh/Soph’s loss, JV took center stage determined to win. The first set quickly blew by with intense exchanges on both sides. For a majority of the set, our Lady Patriots and the Wildcats were locked into a tight back-and-forth scoring, with Whitney barely emerging as victors. JV persisted, though, and in the second set they held their own against Whitney. Ultimately, the Wildcats outscored JV, 22-25, breaching their defense with a couple well-timed spikes and closing out the game, 0-2.
The Oxford crowd had become restless by the time the Varsity game began. Fired up from the earlier losses, the Oxford audience cheered loudly for the Varsity team to take home at least one win, shaking pom poms, swinging around noisemakers, and chanting “O-, O-X, O-X-F-O-R-D!” The Lady Patriots dominated the first set, 25-9, blowing Whitney out of the water with a flurry of aces and powerful spikes.
Going into the second set, Whitney played more defensively against Varsity, getting a number of blocks and walling Oxford’s offensive attacks. The Wildcats trailed at the beginning of the set, but eventually seized the lead, taking advantage of a few service errors and debatable line judgments. Capitalizing on this lead, Whitney claimed the second set, 18-25.
Undeterred, Varsity went on to claim the third and fourth sets, scoring 25-19 in both. The Lady Patriots beat Whitney in a commanding fashion, with phenomenal team synergy and skillful reactions to the Wildcat’s plays. The Lady Patriots’ victory continues Oxford’s win-streak against Whitney’s Varsity team, and more importantly marks a successful final WOW games for our senior athletes.
“Tonight’s game was really fun not only because we won but because we had our school supporting us. The turnout was great and it really did help us push through and keep our winning streak against Whitney,” said senior Abbi Tago.
