The Fairfield Lady Lions did more than play volleyball last Wednesday. They showed up for something bigger. Under the lights of Grandle Gymnasium, the team hosted its annual Volley for a Cause night. This year, the event honored the Damron family and their daughter Lani, who is currently fighting a Wilms tumor.

The evening was part fundraiser and part community hug. With prize auctions, a meal station, and a table full of baked goods, the Lady Lions raised money to support the Damrons. Every dollar earned went straight to the family. It was a night where the scoreboard took a backseat to solidarity.

Still, there was a match to play. Fairfield faced East Clinton in a non-conference showdown and dropped their first loss of the season. The set scores were 25 to 23, 25 to 21, 15 to 25, and 25 to 22.

Even in defeat, there were bright spots. Junior Remi Moon hit a major milestone with her 500th career kill. She finished the night with 26 kills, 17 digs, and an ace. Setter Paisley Stahlhut added 33 assists and five aces. Teammates Emma Ayers, Alyssa Bales, Addison Cannon, Jaeden and Kinsey Drury, Jorja May, and Ally Maynard all contributed across the board.

The team did not dwell. On Thursday, they traveled to Whiteoak and swept their SHAC rivals in three sets. The scores were 25 to 15, 25 to 7, and 25 to 17. Moon stayed hot with 20 kills, and Stahlhut dished out another 26 assists. The Lady Lions looked sharp, focused, and ready to reset.

Friday brought another test. This time it was against SHAC Division One powerhouse North Adams. Fairfield dropped all three sets with scores of 25 to 17, 25 to 9, and 25 to 15. The Green Devils improved to a 9 and 0 conference record. Fairfield remains in first place in SHAC Division Two with a 7 and 1 conference record and an overall mark of 11 and 2.

It was a week of highs, heart, and hard-fought rallies. And while the Lady Lions did not win every set, they showed what it means to play with purpose both on and off the court.