The Will to Win

September 18 will be a day always remembered by the Bedford volleyball girls.  It was a game long awaited for revenge and victory with the start of the 2013 season.  The game was against Goffstown high school, the division I runners up last year.  But that was not the ultimate reason for the will to win the Bulldogs showed that night.  Goffstown and Bedford high school had a long hard summer of training together including summer camps, open gyms and scrimmages, some days even consisting of rude remarks and trash talk coming from the Goffstown team directed at Bedford.  But none the less the Bulldogs and Grizzlies remained friends until the match in which they faced each other on September 18.

It was the game Bedford was waiting for after the upset they faced last year against Goffstown where Bedford won the first two sets but then Goffstown came out to take the match winning the last three sets.  But the tables would surely turn in the 2013 season.  It was one of the most exhilerating games the Bulldogs would ever face with the fans saying "It was one of the most intense girls volleyball games I have ever seen".  The game went to four sets with Bedford taking the first, third, and fourth while Goffstown took the third.  There was astonishing saves and plays going on throughout every game with Julia Elmendorf running out of bounds making passes with her back to the net and Chandler lake diving on the floor to get a hand on any ball she was in reach of.  Bedford's brick wall of blockers consisting of Hannah Koehler, Courtney O'Connell and Gabby Hunter shut down the Goffstown offense with their touches on almost every ball Goffstown hit. It was a tough game with heckling referees and calls that were many times in question but both teams fought hard to win every point.

But in the end their can only be one victor and for the 2013 season that would be the Bulldogs.  This placed Bedford in twelfth place with a two wins and two losses record and bumping Goffstown down to fifteenth place with a one win and three loss record.  The Bulldogs ended the game  with a jumping and screaming finish like the championship was just won.  The win boosted the Bedford Bulldogs morale and spirit with hopes to continue fighting for victory as the season continues and more competitive teams keep coming down the line.

A Sneak Peak into Bedford Volleyball

Bedford volleyball is going for the gold this year after their first season in division I last year.  The bulldogs came into the season last year with predictions to not pose a big threat with very little expectations and to lose a majority of their season.  But, after the intimidating season last year placing the bulldogs in ninth place out of twenty teams left the Bedford team expected to be a great competitor this year.  

The Bulldogs although a young team last year with the starting squad being composed of mostly juniors is back this year to make a statement with the starting team returning as championship hungry seniors.  The  Bulldogs being led this year by team captains Becca Foti and Julia Elmendorf have many tricks up their sleeves to completely throw other teams off their game.  With the debut into the 2013 season game against Nashua North Hannah Koehler, the starting senior middle blocker, hit her way to 24 kills which is an absolutely ridiculous amount and stunned Nashua North.  But no team can have a good offense without a good defense, which shows the true value of the Bulldogs back row players composed of the libero Chandler Lake and the outsides Becca Foti, and Kendal Sonovick who had an astonishing 27 digs in the past game.  The Bulldogs have started off their season proving to be a true fighting competitor stacked with skilled and tough players eager for the win.

Bedford will not go down without a fight this year are capable of being a championship winning team.  The Bulldogs time and time again have shown to be relentless when facing tough competition and rowdy fans rooting against them.  Although with a loss in the first game of the 2013 season Bedford proved to be an intense competitor while taking the match to five sets and fighting for every point.  The bulldogs will push to have a home seed in playoffs this year and take their season to the top with the hopes of a championship banner hanging in their home gym.