Titan Volleyball made history last week upsetting three time defending state champions Loudoun County- and senior Julia Avoletta had a lot to do with it. Announcing her verbal commitment to D1 West Virginia University just hours before the game, Avoletta knew that all eyes would be on her at Loudoun County that evening. The Titans were merely hoping to take a set or two from the Raiders like they did last season, but they defeated the Raiders in a climatic fifth set, characterized mainly by a shanked ball that became stuck in the ceiling. The point would have gone to the Raiders making the score 10-8 if it weren’t for this fortunate mishap. However, the ref had to replay the point. The Titans capitalized on this and tied the score at 9-9, causing the momentum to shift their way.

At this point, Avoletta took the game into her own hands. With many years of competitive volleyball to back her up, Avoletta figured out the holes in the Raider’s defense, scoring points and setting up other hitters for success. “I thought I did a good job of helping my teammates by supporting them and always staying positive,” Avoletta said.

The final score was 15-13, which gave the Raiders their first loss of the season. Avoletta chose West Virginia not only because of their competitive volleyball program but also for their respectable Medical program, which is what Avoletta plans to study. “The campus was beautiful, and it felt like the college experience I was looking for,” Avoletta said.