After both having extra time off, the Roncalli Royals and the Heritage Christian Eagles will shake off the rust and duke it out at 7:00 p.m. on Monday.
Last Tuesday, Roncalli didn't have quite enough to beat Fishers and fell 3-2. While the Royals didn't get the win, they did start the game off strong, beating the Tigers 25-21 in the first set.
Roncalli actually scored more points across those five sets (101-100), but sadly they still had to settle for second. The match finished with set scores of 21-25, 25-22, 25-18, 14-25, 15-11.
Despite their loss, Roncalli saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Aiden Hill, who had 20 digs and three aces, was perhaps the best of all. Matthew Dial was another key player, getting 13 digs and one block.
Meanwhile, Heritage Christian had to travel to play their first game of the season, but the final result was worth the trip. They came out on top against Irvington Preparatory Academy by a score of 3-1 last Thursday.
Heritage Christian had a slow start but a hot finish: after dropping the first set, they turned around to win the next three. Once all was said and done, the final score wound up at 21-25, 25-22, 25-15, 25-22.
Heritage Christian's win came from a few key players Roncalli will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Caleb Martin, who had 15 kills, five blocks, and four aces. Another player making a difference was Ben Bauer, who had 13 kills, three digs, three aces, and one block.
Hill wasn't the only good server: Heritage Christian was lethal from the service line and finished the game with 14 aces. They served one more ace than Irvington Preparatory Academy's also-impressive total of 13.
Roncalli took their win against Heritage Christian in their previous meeting back in March of 2024 by a conclusive 3-0 score. Will the Royals repeat their success, or do the Eagles have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
