For just the second time this season, Upper Perkiomen's volleyball team enjoyed a victory. Following a difficult couple of weeks, the players enjoyed the experience, according to head coach Michael Tirjan.

Freshman Savannah Driscoll returns the ball during a match with Pottstown.

            "The girls were very happy," he said. "Sometimes it's nice to face a team more on our level."

            In a battle of two first-year teams on Tuesday, the Indians dominated Pottstown in a Pioneer Athletic Conference match at the middle school on Montgomery Avenue in Upper Hanover. UP registered 28 aces in a 25-6, 25-15, 25-4 victory.

            The Tribe's serves have improved the most, according to Tirjan. He said its aces have recently increased and its service errors have decreased. It took between six and eight matches for those stats to level out.

            He described Sammi Pedrick and Anne Gerstenberg, a pair of sophomores, as the team's best servers. Both feature a standing float serve, which the coach compared to a knuckle ball.  "It's a hard serve to return," Tirjan said.

            All the players' skills are improving, noted the coach. Tirjan said they are learning where to hit the ball and how to aim it. Additionally, their understanding of the strategy is "getting there."

            "They're starting to pick it up," said Tirjan, a science teacher at the high school. "It takes years of practice and playing to get better."

            Since opening the season with a three-set road victory over Pottstown, the Tribe had gone winless. On Sept. 14, the team won two games against Pottsgrove but lost 3-2. Tirjan described it as one of its best overall performances of the season.

            Over the weekend, the Indians were shut out during the Perkiomen Valley Rally in the Valley Tournament. They lost three matches on Saturday, Sept. 24, to Council Rock North (25-5, 25-16), Pennridge (25-13, 25-15) and Souderton (25-10, 25-6).

            Pedrick finished with two sets, one kill and four assists against Council Rock North, a state qualifier last season. Gerstenberg registered two sets, one kill and one dig.

Against the Rams, Pedrick notched two sets and four assists. Gerstenberg posted two sets, one ace and three kills.

            According to Tirjan, playing against superior competition has taught the Indians to hit the ball with more force. He said the players are a little less afraid of making a mistake. 

"We want the girls to be more aggressive," the coach said. "They are trying to find the right spots on the court to hit the ball. We lost a lot of points early because they were happy just getting the ball over the net."

            One day earlier, Upper Perk performed well in a three-set loss against Upper Merion. Pedrick finished with three sets, two aces and nine assists in the 25-13, 25-17, 25-10 defeat on Friday, Sept. 23.

            Gerstenberg contributed three sets, three kills and one ace. Erin States finished with three sets and five kills.

            "Best match of the year," read a statement in the "notes" column at the bottom of the scoresheet. "Good positioning, serve receive improved. More power on hits."

            According to Tirjan, the Indians best opportunities to post their third victory could come Oct. 3 at home in the rematch against the Falcons and three days later on the road against Norristown, "a newer program."

            "I'm sure the girls would be excited to win again," Tirjan said. "It would show the progress we have made."