The girls’ volleyball team here at Oak Forest is looking to win the Regional Championship on Thursday, October 30, against a very strong team in Providence Catholic. The Bengals have had an interesting season, to say the least. Although their record is 10-20, that doesn’t reflect the true skill on this team.
It was a rough start to the season, losing the first 6 games in a row. However, the Bengals have done a great job fighting adversity, which wouldn’t have happened without captains Betty Redican (Jr.) and Kynzie Oliver (Sr.). Redican, asked about her team’s mindset going into the upcoming game against Providence, said, “Our mindset is locked to the max. Providence is a strong team and has a great offense. They will definitely give us a run for our money, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to hand them the win.” There also has been some work on the preparation for the game. Oliver says, “Our whole team is going to be prepared. We’ve been working for this moment the whole season. It’s definitely going to be a tough game but I know we can come out with the win.”
The two captains have been working relentlessly all season to lead their team and really try and flip the season around. When Oliver was asked about how she helps her team stay composed, she said, “While I’m on the court I try to stay out of my own head and keep my teammates out of theirs. I also always try and pick up my teammates. If someone makes a mistake I always tell them it’s okay and they’re going to get the next one. That’s what keeps our team going.” Redican has also been a great leader throughout the season, especially being a captain as a junior. She had a rough injury last year in tearing her ACL, but has definitely overcome the obstacles that the injury threw in her way. She said, “It feels great to be back from my injury. It really took a lot out of me and set me back but I think I came back even better and it changed my whole mindset on the game completely.”
The Bengals are really trying to emphasize that they are a different team from the one at the start of this season. They believe that they overcame their constant mistakes and now want to prove that they’re truly a great team. Providence does have the edge playing on its home court, where it has a record of 9-2. Their overall record on the season is 30-6, which is substantially different from the Bengals’ rough start. It’s definitely going to be a fight to win this game, as the Bengals are the underdogs, but with leadership and team play, there could be a fiercely contested outcome.
