With a home court advantage and spirited fans dressed in neon, the Lady Mustangs volleyball team spiked its way to victory with a final match score of 15-8 against Southaven High School on Aug. 23. Overall, the Lady Mustangs bested Southaven 3-2.

“I’m excited to wear my neon because my brother took me to Walmart and we got matching hoodies,” said sophomore Alexandria Edwards, who cheered on the team from the gym’s Insane Stangs student section.

The crowd of 200, which some fans described as a pack of highlighters, motivated the team.

“It meant a lot to know we have support from, like, our whole school, and just hearing them cheer for us really meant a lot to me,” outside hitter Chloe Steen said. “It wasn’t a rough game, but I know, like, we had to play really hard to get the win.”

Even though her team won, coach Robbie Veazey said her players still have some work to do.

“We didn’t play as well as we could and as we wanted to, but they never gave up,” she said.

Veazey also appreciated the fan support.

“We had the stands packed so there’s so much emotion in the game from the coaching aspect of it,” she said. “The players, they’re pumped and excited with all the fans here and it was just a big win for us. The girls just kept fighting.”

The win was special for Veazey because she used to coach Southaven’s volleyball team.

“Tonight was a big game and the fact that, you know, I just took over the head part and we’re playing Southaven, and that’s where I came from last year,” she said.

Veazey said she has high hopes for the team.

“I’m expecting us to do real well,” she said. “I’m expecting us to do well in our district, make the playoffs, make the playoff run. We do have a lot of young players playing some different positions, but we have some upperclassmen that show a lot of leadership, so I’m looking forward to see how we progress as the season goes.”

The fans are anticipating the team’s success as well.

“I have faith in my volleyball team,” junior Tieraney Bolton said. “I love the school spirit.”