If Monday’s match is any indication of what opponents should expect when facing the Whitehall girls volleyball team during crunch time, then they better be prepared for a quite the tussle.

The Zephs traveled to Notre Dame Green Pond and walked away with a hard-earned win, with the final game see-sawing back and forth before they finally locked it up, 28-26. That win gave them the sweep over the Crusaders, 25-20, 25-18 and 28-26.

That win pushes their season record to 5-2 and places them in the middle of the pack in the Skyline Division of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. Nazareth and Parkland sit atop the division at 5-0, while Emmaus, is 4-1, and Allentown Central Catholic and Whitehall are tied at 3-2.

Monday’s win showed just how tenacious this team can be. They held off the hard- charging Crusaders in game two, and then fought off two potential game-winning points in game three to complete the sweep.

Head coach George Cowitch said that Monday’s win was in sharp contrast from Saturday’s match against Saucon Valley, a game in which they won despite a less than sparkling effort, a situation they addressed after that match.

“It was a complete effort [tonight],” said Cowitch. “Even when we got in those lulls, especially in that last set, after being tied at 25-25, and then being down, and eventually coming back to win, shows the heart of this team. That’s what we need.”

If any play was indicative of how much heart and determination they showed, it came midway through game two when the Crusaders cut their lead to a point, 14-13.

The Crusaders hit the ball deep into their end, with Korin Koehler making a lunging dig that forced Kristin Spengler to merely keep it alive for someone to make a play. Her effort allowed Emily Castro to hit the ball, a high-arcing shot that landed just beyond the net by the opposite antenna.

It was a play that seemed to stun the Crusaders as it landed inside the line for a point. From that point, the Zephs were never really threatened again, maintaining at least a two-point buffer the rest of the way.

“She [Castro] and Koehler made two excellent plays,” said Cowitch. “I said, ‘I’ve seen a lot of volleyball since I’ve been here, and that’s one of the best plays that I’ve seen.’”

He said that demonstrates what happens when you give the effort.

“They’re doing what we ask them to do, and that’s what you ask for when you’re a coach,” he said.

Another thing he wanted to get across in the match was have them “play free.” He said if they get bogged down trying to think about every shot, it resembles what happened to them on Saturday.

“We don’t want to be methodical, because when we play free, we’re good,” said Cowitch.

One player who embodied that play free style was Spengler. She dominated at the net, registering 13 kills. She also had six assists. Many of her kills were just plain nasty as she powered the ball past the hapless Crusaders.

Castro also had a stellar game, finishing with 17 assists and 21 digs. Her service game was another valuable asset as she delivers the ball with authority every time she serves, often creating an advantage for her team.

Cristal Fernandez provided an emotional spark, rallying her team when she registered a kill or a block, while Taylor Rummel, who also has a powerful arm, contributed with six kills.

Finally, Koehler was once again solid from the back, leading the way with 25 digs, with many of them directed toward her outside hitters in practically perfect position.

In the final game, they had to persevere, fending off those two potential game-winners. The Crusaders had rallied from a six-point deficit at 23-17 to eventually go ahead, 24-25. But each time they went on top, the Zephs answered, either by a winning shot or a Crusader mistake.

Cowitch said they stuck to the game plan against NDGP and that was the recipe for success. If they continue to do that, they’ll make strides throughout the year.