If the third game in Friday's match against Liberty High School is any indication of future success, than the Zephyr volleyball team has plenty of optimism looking forward.

In that game, the Zephs rallied from an early 7-0 deficit as they kept chipping away, eventually tying the game at 17.

With their confidence growing, and the "Canes committing a number of errors, Whitehall started to climb ahead of the taller squad from Bethlehem. In fact, they reeled off four unanswered points, then faltered a bit down the stretch, allowing the 'Canes to creep within a point at 24-23.

Now, they could have panicked and watched as Liberty completed the comeback, but they dug deep and surged to a 25-23 victory on Brook Mellinger's winning shot.

It was an exercise in determination with Olivia Bobyak, Rebecca Lutterschmidt, Lindsey Hutterer, Rachel Harry and Mellinger all playing key roles.

While they eventually lost the match 3-1 (25-13, 28-26, 23-25, 25-17) to the 'Canes to drop their record to 1-4, they showed they had the ability to fight a tough battle and win the close games.

Still, it was another league loss and head coach Rob Gardner contrasted the game with the one they had earlier against Parkland in which every game was competitive. Even though they were swept in three games (25-21, 25-15, 25-20), Gardner liked the spunk they showed and their ability to stay close to their league rivals.

"We had a great game against Parkland," said Gardner. "We stayed with them all the way, and one game we were ahead; we got beat in three, but the girls played really well."

He said in that game they were moving and passing the ball, as well as quickly recovering. He also said their "hitting and blocking was phenomenal."

However, Friday's match against the 'Canes baffled him a bit.

"Tonight, I don't know what happened." said Gardner. "Every part of our game was off."

In the lone win, Gardner said the team managed to put it together, showing that he scrappy attitude he described at the beginning of the season. Unfortunately, that was the one bright spot of the evening. It just boiled down to one simple reason.

"We weren't playing our game," he said.

Gardner acknowledges they're going to lose some games this year. He said they're missing hitters who can consistently hit the ball. He said it's something they're trying to develop in practice, trying to establish that reliability on the front line. Too often a good kill is negated by a shot out of bounds.

"Right now we're just trading points with outs and kills," said Gardner. 'We need to get our hitters becoming more consistent."

Gardner said that their passing game has been effectual, save their loss against Liberty.

"It's been really, really consistent," said Gardner. "We've been passing eighty to eighty-five percent of the balls. That was true especially against Parkland, and our digs were fantastic, [but] these guys came here today and they were standing around in the back court."

Gardner said they'll have those growing pains since they're a young team. With a team dominated by underclassmen, he expects them to grow and mature, developing that court sense that will help them win games in the highly competitive Lehigh Valley Conference.

In that win against the 'Canes, he said they're youth showed, noting that when things were clicking, their confidence rose. But when things "started to go south, it was really hard for them to get their heads back."

He said they have to learn to put bad shots or tough breaks behind them quickly, living for the next shot and the next scoring opportunity.

Gardner said that moving forward he would like to see the hitters make more consistent shots.

"Our hitters need to hit in the .400 to .500 range," said Gardner. "If we can get our offense working when were not getting the ball hit back at us every time, we'll be better."