photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State junior Annika Lintecum jumps to spike the ball during Free State's 3-0 win over Lawrence at LHS on Thursday, October 3, 2024.

In a loud and hostile gymnasium, the Free State Firebirds volleyball team learned a lot about themselves.

Facing rival Lawrence High School on the road, the Firebirds had confidence and belief in each other. It showed late in each set, where the Firebirds took control and didn’t let up, winning 3-0 over the Lions.

Both teams have struggled over the past couple of weeks. For Free State, that led to tough practices and difficult conversations. It wasn’t always easy, but senior Lilly Wall said those moments helped the team on Thursday night.

“This was exactly what we needed,” she said. “It was the win that we needed, and it’ll boost our confidence a lot. I’m so proud of this team.”

The first set of Thursday’s game was close from the start, although the Lions kept ahead by a couple of points. After going down 9-6, the Firebirds tied the game at 10-10. The Lions gained their 3-point lead back, but the Firebirds tied it up at 15-15. Once each team was tied at 21 points, the Firebirds hit hard to win the set 25-22, with three straight points to end the match.

Set two started close as well, but the Lions were able to take a slight 7-4 lead early. The Lions maintained their lead for a while, but the Firebirds went on a 5-2 run to take a 15-14 lead. From that point through the remainder of the set, the Firebirds either held the lead or were tied with the Lions. The Free State lead grew after an 18-18 tie, where the Firebirds went on a 7-2 run to win the set.

The final point on the second set came via a kill from junior Annika Lintecum. Free State coach Jayme Savage said that she saw a lot of confidence from her hitter, which helped her make the set-winning plays she did. Lintecum added that she came into the game with a different mindset, which helped her dominate.

“I normally am pretty nervous,” Lintecum said, “but my teammates were giving me confidence and were encouraging me.”

The Firebirds pulled away late in the first two sets. Savage attributed that to her team’s resilience and mental toughness, which the Firebirds have had to develop over the past few weeks as things haven’t gone their way. That hard work was paying off.

“Our chemistry really shined tonight … I saw our family dynamic,” Savage said. “We came out and worked hard tonight, and you have to do that every time you step on the floor. You have to rely on each other and execute.”

Wall said the team is full of extroverts, but they’ve struggled with communication this year beyond a technical sense. Thursday night was different, and it showed up late in each set where the Firebirds came together to win.

The final set was the closest one of the game, particularly late. Lawrence again took an early lead, gaining a 4-point lead at 8-4. Senior setter Olivia Monroe orchestrated the offense, with hitters Harper Dye and Maddy Crawford making the splash plays. The Firebirds again closed the gap and tied it at 11-11, and the set remained within a couple of points from there on.

A 3-point run from down 16-15 to up 18-16 proved critical for Free State. The Firebirds never stretched their lead beyond those 2 points. That, however, proved to be enough. The Lions came close and tied the game at 24-24, but the Firebirds finished with back-to-back points to win the match. Once again, Lintecum sealed the deal on a kill, which sent the team and the Free State fans into a screaming frenzy and a big huddle around the team.

“That was the best moment of my whole life,” she said.

The Firebirds saw some hard practices and conversations pay off on Thursday. A win over Lawrence isn’t the team’s ultimate goal, and they still have a lot left to do to finish the season the way they want to. But Thursday’s win was a start. It’s a confidence booster that reminds the Firebirds what they can do when they work together and believe in their teammates. Going forward, they’re going to need to keep it up.

“I think this is the start of a really good run we’re going to have,” Lintecum said. “I think it’ll boost our confidence. This was the best we’ve played together as a team and our trust. I think that this was our best game of the season. I’m so proud of our team.”

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence senior setter Olivia Monroe sets the ball to a hitter in a 3-0 loss to Free State at LHS on Thursday, October 3, 2024.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State senior Lilly Wall serves the ball for the final point of the first set in Free State’s 3-0 win over Lawrence at LHS on Thursday, October 3, 2024.