After a tough loss to Glenwood last week, the Rochester Rockets knew they needed a response.
They delivered one Tuesday night.
Hosting Springfield High at the RAC for Rochester’s annual Pink Night, the Rockets came out with energy and never let up, sweeping the Senators 25-16, 25-18.
Springfield High entered the night as one of the stronger teams in the CS8, making Rochester’s performance even more impressive.
The Rockets jumped out early in the opening set and continued to build momentum throughout the night. After taking the first set 25-16, Rochester carried that energy into the second, closing out the match 25-18.
With the win, Rochester improves to 18-3 overall and 4-1 in the CS8.
Defensively, Liv Kratochvil led the way with 18 digs, helping Rochester consistently keep plays alive and generate opportunities offensively. Cami Tinder finished with 25 assists, while Peyton Zeidler powered the attack with 10 kills.
For head coach Green, the biggest key was how her team responded after last week’s loss.
“We kind of had to find a balance, like, how much do we reflect on this? Obviously, we need to move forward,” Green said. “A big takeaway is just having more focus, having more of a plan, especially communicating in the moment.”
The Rockets put that message into practice.
Green said Rochester had a challenging, game-like practice Monday, focusing on competition, communication and getting players outside their comfort zones.
“I think that set us up for what you saw tonight,” Green said.
Kratochvil agreed that the team took the loss to heart, saying the Rockets spent significant time talking and journaling about how the loss affected them before turning their attention toward preparation.
“We came in, practiced, and we played hard, and we just knew that we wanted this,” Kratochvil said.
That determination was evident from the opening serve.
Kratochvil’s impact wasn’t limited to the stat sheet. Her defensive presence helped Rochester establish its offense, something she says the Rockets have emphasized throughout the season.
“For us, digs, like, obviously you have to start with a pass,” Kratochvil said. “If you don’t have a pass, you can’t set and you can’t get a kill. So I think passing is very important for us.”
Tuesday’s victory also came during one of Rochester’s biggest nights of the season — Pink Night.
The RAC was filled with fans, decorations and activities throughout the evening, creating an atmosphere that Green said was different from a normal home match.
“It was just more of an event than just a normal home game,” Green said, crediting the Rochester community and the organizers who helped make the night possible.
For Kratochvil, Pink Night has become something the team looks forward to every year.
“I think Pink Night is very important to us,” she said. “We love decorating the whole RAC, and it just means a lot to us. It’s our big, big night. Everybody comes out and supports. We love it.”
Now, Rochester turns its attention to a big CS8 matchup against SHG Thursday, before heading to a major tournament at O’Fallon.
And with the postseason approaching, the Rockets aren’t hiding their ambitions.
“Regionals is coming up sooner than we expect,” Kratochvil said. “We’re wanting to go out and win regionals and just keep going along the way and win state, hopefully.”
After Tuesday night, Rochester certainly looks like a team ready to keep rolling.
