The volleyball team prepares for its Pack the House Night on Aug. 23 at 6:30 p.m. The team will host Avon High School, one of the top teams in the state, and all proceeds will go towards Indy Honor Flight.

“The program sends war veterans to be honored in Washington D.C. for their service,” Head Coach Adam Havice said. “Indy Honor Flight is a pretty special cause and it makes me feel good that we can help out. We have already raised $400 through t-shirt sales and the girls are helping spread the word for a bigger crowd.”

Volleyball player and senior Allie Boatright said the team expects a big crowd, especially due to the Indy Honor Flight program aspect.

“We had a pretty big crowd versus Hamilton Southeastern at our home opener, which is really nice. We are hoping that the Pack the House Night brings in a bigger crowd because it is benefitting Indy Honor Flight, which is for the military,” Boatright said.

With a larger expected crowd, the team has taken extra measures to prepare for the game.

“Avon is one of the best teams in the state,” Havice said. “We have to be ready to defend the middle of the attack. The majority of other teams we play like to hit the ball down the sides, or what we call pins. Avon wants to get the ball in the middle and they are very good at it.”

Emily Horvath, volleyball player and senior, agrees with Havice. “In the past they have always been really good and I’m expecting it to be a good game,” Horvath said.

“I sometimes feel nervous, just because there are more people watching, but it also drives me to do better,” Horvath said. “The bigger crowd helps gets my adrenaline going and it gets me really excited because everyone is there watching.”

Havice said the team has talked about confidence and has been planning for opposing crowds. “The girls understand other schools will say mean things to them, but they know they need to stay focused and not worry about what people say,” Havice said.

To get into the game mindset, both Boatright and Horvath listen to music, talk to teammates, and pump themselves up.

“We tune out distractions and instead focus on our goals. That really lets us concentrate,” Boatright said. “It’s different with a bigger crowd, but when the game starts, we block out everything. We tune in and play for the win.”