Johns Creek Volleyball Opens Season With Grit, Growth and a First Career Win
The Johns Creek varsity volleyball team opened its 2026 season on Tuesday, August 11, traveling to Jackson County High School for a pair of matchups against Jackson County High School and Mill Creek High School. The Lady Gladiators faced an early test against Jackson County before bouncing back with a strong performance against Mill Creek to earn their first win of the season—and the first career victory for Head Coach Katie Scott.
A Competitive Opening Against Jackson County
Johns Creek opened the evening against Jackson County in a best-of-three matchup, facing a formidable opponent in their first test of the season. Although the Lady Gladiators ultimately fell in straight sets, they competed with consistent determination, keeping both sets within reach. Jackson County secured the opening set 25–18 and Johns Creek responded with a competitive second set, narrowly dropping it 25–21.
Several players delivered notable performances throughout the match. Caroline Giles recorded two aces and six digs and Hana Catic contributed three kills, five digs, and two blocks. Sara Buoni also added three kills, and Jia Kim provided a steady presence with five digs and six assists.
Head Coach Katie Scott identified serve receive as the team’s primary area of difficulty. “Our biggest struggle of the night was on serve receive,” Scott noted. “When a team is struggling with that first contact, it makes everything about the remainder of the play more challenging.”
Despite this challenge, Johns Creek displayed commendable resilience, refusing to allow early setbacks to dictate the tone of the match. That composure was most evident in the second set, where the Lady Gladiators battled point for point out of a 7 point deficit. The 25–21 result underscored a team that competed with grit and sustained effort until the final whistle.
A Commanding Response Against Mill Creek
With limited time to regroup, Johns Creek returned to the court to face Mill Creek. Rather than allowing the earlier result to linger, the Lady Gladiators used the experience as an opportunity to adjust, refocus, and elevate their level of play.
The response was immediate and decisive.
Johns Creek opened the match with a renewed sense of confidence and control, securing a straight-set victory over Mill Creek by scores of 25–18 and 25–21. In addition to marking the
team’s first win of the season, the result also represented the first career victory for Head Coach Katie Scott—a meaningful milestone in her inaugural season at Johns Creek.
The win was driven by a well-rounded team effort as well as several standout individual performances. Hana Catic contributed across the board with two aces, four kills, seven digs, and two blocks. Layla Mujahid led the offensive attack with seven kills while posting an outstanding .875 hitting efficiency. Emerson Jarboe added six kills at a .750 efficiency and made a strong impact at the net with four blocks.
Caroline Giles continued her consistent play with four kills and five digs, while Sara Buoni added four kills and two blocks to round out a balanced offensive effort.
The contrast between the two matches highlighted the team’s ability to learn and respond in real time. The Lady Gladiators effectively applied the lessons from the opening match against Jackson County, demonstrating improved execution, sharper focus, and greater cohesion against Mill Creek. The result not only secured a hard-earned victory, it offered an early indication of the resilience and growth potential that will define the season ahead.
