Last Thursday, Nazareth brought an undefeated boys volleyball team to Northampton and the Konkrete Kids acquitted themselves well, dropping the match in four tightly contested sets 24-26, 21-25, 25-22, 23-25.

The first set was nip-and-tuck until a late burst by the Blue Eagles put the visitors up 23-17. The K-Kids battled back, winning the next 5 points to cut the lead to 23-22. They eventually evened the score at 24 before Nazareth was able to put the set away.

Northampton fought to a 15-13 lead midway through the second set, but a 4-point Blue Eagles’ run changed the momentum. Another streak of four boosted the Nazareth lead from 20-19 to 24-19 late in the set and closed it out from there.

The K-Kids also led near the halfway point of the third set, holding a 17-13 advantage. There was a another nailbiter down the stretch as the Blue Eagles got within 23-22 before Northampton was able to claim the set and extend the match.

In the fourth set, Nazareth held a slim lead at the midpoint juncture 17-16. The K-Kids never trailed by more than 2 points from there on but were also never able square the score.

Head coach Sue Arndt summed up the match, “Our setters were nervous at the beginning of the match and it showed. They have to remember to rely on each other and work together as a team. We call it Christmas passing. We have red and green marks that we want them to be between and they were just off the mark tonight.”

“We played pretty well on defense, but we struggled against the dump (when the opposing setter tips the ball over the block and in front of the back row),” she continued.

Senior captain and opposite hitter Landon Nickischer has been putting up ridiculous numbers this year with several games over 20 kills. Against Nazareth, he recorded 25 kills after having notched 26 two days earlier against Allen.

Logan Berger had 9 kills and 18 digs. Brad Chamberlain led the team with 20 digs. Cam Coccetti had 20 assists and Caden Dempsey chipped in 16 assists.

One-third of the way through the regular season Northampton stands at 4-2 overall and 4-0 in the EPC. Their losses to Freedom and Nazareth were not considered league games, but the K-Kids play the Patriots and Blue Eagles again this year in matches that will count in the EPC standings.

The team is at Dieruff on Tuesday before returning home to face Emmaus next Thursday.