On October 5, NDB hosted its annual Dig Pink volleyball game in support of raising money towards breast cancer research. This year, freshmen, junior varsity and varsity teams were matched against Menlo HS.
The event called for decorations, t-shirts and fundraising, all prepared by NDB’s Dig Pink Club. The club was founded by Tammy Byrne ‘17 in memory of her mother who died from breast cancer. The club carries on her legacy, ensuring that the event is well thought out. Other than senior night, the Dig Pink matches are the most important games of the season.
The freshman team kicked off the day with a good start. They won both sets and kept the pressure on Menlo HS when they started to catch up. Their excitement from their first Dig Pink volleyball game certainly kept the team energized throughout the game, allowing them to secure a win.
All while the freshman team was pulling ahead of their match, junior varsity as they prepared for their game. For many of the girls on the team, it would be their second year. They all entered the court with coordinated braided hair tied together with pink and blue ribbons in support of the fundraiser.
The fight was certainly tough and the final score proved it. Menlo HS had pulled through in the first set with a score of 25-17. This only seemed to motivate the Tigers, who earned a win with the second set, scoring 25-20. The third set was certainly anxiety-invoking. Varsity, preparing for their upcoming match, had gathered behind the junior varsity bench and cheered on the underclassmen. In the end, the Tigers managed to beat Menlo HS to 15 points, but only with a two point difference.
Excited with the winning streak, varsity headed onto the court to begin their warm-ups. Just like the prior teams, varsity incorporated pink into their uniform. Their look included pink socks, shorts, ribbons on their hair and even body paint in the shape of the breast cancer ribbon.
Warm ups wrapped up with the start of the program, organized by the Dig Pink Club. NDB’s very own Student Services Coordinator Barbara Tauskey spoke about her battle with breast cancer. Students were brought to tears by her story, which some did not know about. When her speech concluded, Tauskey signaled for the game to begin and was gifted with a volleyball signed by the varsity team.
The national anthem was sung by Junior Varsity Captain Adrianna Chu and followed by varsity’s Dig Pink intro video, which was directed, filmed and edited by NDB’s Communications and Marketing Manager Cat Adamis. The video built up the anticipation for the game to begin and the crowd cheered on the home team.
As the varsity athletes lined up for the beginning of the match, all held small volleyballs to throw to family and other spectators. The starting lineup was announced with high energy by Social Sciences Department Chair Jonathan Tomczak followed by the two team’s exchanges of good luck.
The game ushered in the biggest crowd of the season. The game was a spirit point event for NDB students. The bleachers were transformed into a sea of pink. The shirts were designed by the Dig Pink Club President Francesca Arbelaez, and were available to purchase throughout the week for students and at the game for NDB families.
The excitement of the spectators passed onto the players as the energy was high between the cheers of the crowd. Amongst the bleachers was NDB’s Spirit Squad. Between the sets or during timeouts, they would keep the spectators entertained with their routines and impressive lifts.
The varsity game had many highs and lows. The first set had high intensity and both teams traded points back and forth. Menlo HS gave a strong fight against the Tigers. Both teams headed into the match with high intensity and energy. NDB pulled through in the close battle of the first set with a score of 26-24.
“Playing in Dig Pink means so much more the just another game because we are playing for all the women who survived and are battling breast cancer around the world,” said Varsity Volleyball Captain Julia Breckenridge. “The school spirit is insane and the energy during the game makes it so much more meaningful.”
NDB basked in the victor of the first set, but Menlo HS was ready for the second one. Their strong offense and solid defense certainly gave them an advantage in this set. The Tigers did not go down without a fight. They managed to earn 19 points before Menlo HS won the set.
Given their adrenaline now at a high, Menlo HS pulled ahead quickly in the third set. With their opponent’s point runs and consistent playing, NDB just could not keep up for the next two sets, and Menlo HS pulled out with a win.
After a long night of playing, the Tigers went home with a few wins under their belt. The Dig Pink game hosted a large audience, raising a substantial amount of money to be donated to breast cancer research.
