Trojans build momentum at Newark Quad, finish 2-1 on the day

Tree of Life Christian School opened the Newark Quad with a tough three-set loss, then responded with back-to-back victories to finish 2-1 on Saturday in Newark. The Trojans fell to West 1-2 before bouncing back to beat Grove City 2-1 and Newark 2-0, a strong day that showed the team getting sharper and more confident as the event moved along.

The first match was the tightest of the day. Tree of Life lost in a close 26-24 opening set, but West answered with 25-23 and 25-23 wins to take the match. Even in the loss, the Trojans were right in the middle of long rallies and high-pressure points throughout the opener, setting the tone for a competitive day.

Tree of Life found its footing in the second match against Grove City. After dropping the first set 25-23, the Trojans regrouped and took control with 25-19 and 25-20 wins. That comeback reflected one of the biggest themes of the quad, as Tree of Life steadily increased its momentum as the day went forward and turned close sets into winning finishes.

The strongest performance came in the finale against Newark. The Trojans won in straight sets, 25-21 and 25-10, closing the day with their most decisive result. Tree of Life’s energy at the net and from the service line stood out in that final match, and the team’s rhythm was clear by the end of the day.

Several Trojans delivered standout performances across the three matches. Calvin Spitznagle powered the attack with 35 kills, while Jay Payne added 19 kills to give Tree of Life a strong one-two punch offensively. Taylor Chou contributed 5 aces, creating pressure from the service line, and the Trojans were active defensively at the net as Sam Kutnow recorded 6 block assists and Pascal Geiss added 5.

By the close of the Newark Quad, Tree of Life had turned an opening disappointment into a productive and encouraging day. The Trojans showed resilience after the narrow loss to West, then carried that push into wins over Grove City and Newark, finishing the event with momentum and plenty for the program to celebrate.