There has been no doubt that the Triton College volleyball team is much improved this season. However, after winning their first match against Olive-Harvey, the Trojans lost five straight close matches. So getting back into the win column with a straight set victory, 25-19, 25-9, 25 -14, over Malcolm X College Sept. 7 in River Grove was definitely a confidence boost for the team.
The victory was also the first one recorded at the Collins Center for Triton, now 2-5.
"We lost five in a row coming into today, but we've been very competitive," said Trojans head coach Thomas Malesky. "But today was good to see and it was nice to a get a win. The attitude of the team has been strong and winning today will help make it even stronger."
In the first set, Triton jumped out to a 9-2 lead as the Trojans scored eight straight points behind the serving of Jenna Meyer (Leyden). The Hawks would rally within 12-9 before three consecutive points, including a pair of aces from Frankie Annunzio (Ridgewood) gave Triton a 21-11 advantage. Malcolm X would rally again within 21-17. But the Trojans forced a side-out and Meyer (seven aces) was able to serve out the opening set.
In set two, Triton got off to another fast start with leads of 13-3 and 15-5. Annunzio, who had five aces for the match, served two of them in a row to build the margin to 18-6. Sydney Dorsey-Rencher (Bolingbrook) would eventually serve out the set for the Trojans.
Triton got off to a slow start in the third set as the Hawks enjoyed an early 6-5 lead. But the Trojans responded by scoring seven of the next eight points to go up 12-7 and never looked back.
Setter Leah Rettke (Riverside-Brookfield) had another good showing with 14 assists. Proviso East graduate Sumeja Hodzic continues her solid play in the middle with nine kills. Jordan Burks (Little Village) added seven kills for Triton.
"We need to focus on what we did well today when we watch the tape and carry that over," Hodzic said. "I think the confidence we had today, we lacked the in the last few games. As long as we can keep that confidence we had in winning, we'll keep that going into our next matches and have success."
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