a team of lisa's

Commentator: Welcome back to second half action. The Spartans, trailing by only three at halftime, now find themselves down by eight just five minutes into the second half.

Analyst: They just haven't found a way to play at the level that everyone thought they would coming in to this season. If they can't up their intensity and seriousness, they're going to find themselves in a massive uphill struggle.

Commentator: Spartans have lost the last five possessions, but here they are out a timeout with the ball and looking to cut into the lead. They move the ball from left to right at the top of the attack zone and oh! an unnecessary drop! But the opponent stays home, allowing the Spartans to regain possession, but she can't pick up the ball. Once. Twice. Three times. Finally she's able to pick up an uncontested ground ball.

Analyst: Those are the sort of mistakes that can haunt a team.

Commentator: Let's check in with our sideline reporter.

Sideline Reporter: Over here at the Spartan bench, coach Rodoff is livid with the players on his bench. It appears that one or more of the girls laughed at their teammate's inability to pick up that ground ball a moment ago. Let's take a listen...

Coach Rodoff: Who laughed at their own teammate? Who? Nobody goes in until someone admits to it. I can't put anyone out on that field if they're the kind of person who laughs at their teammates struggles. That's not team!

Analyst: Hey, sideline reporter? Do you have any idea who laughed?

Sideline Reporter: No, but it appears that the players know, but no one is coming forward. Wait a minute! It looks like someone is about to fess up, but now other players are asking 'why' and saying something along the lines of, 'but you didn't do it'.

Commentator: Well, while that's going on, the Spartans on the field are really beginning to turn a corner. Two good goals in the last three minutes and far better execution up and down the field. But they sure look tired.

Analyst: If this Spartan squad hopes to have a successful season, it will take more than goals and wins, it will require a team that is supportive of one another, especially in difficult times.

Sideline Reporter: Lisa has taken responsibility! Oh, and the coach just told her to sit down and that she's not playing. She's a freshman, a junior varsity player. But based on the reactions of the other girls, she's not the one who laughed. I can't believe that the responsible teammate would let her innocent teammate take that kind of punishment.

Analyst: Well, you're right about that. I wouldn't want any teammate that would watch another person on her team take that big of a hit and not have the integrity and responsibility to step up. But give Lisa a lot of credit. I'll take a team of Lisa's any day.

Commentator: So perhaps the Spartans are improving in more ways than one. There's a timeout on the field. Let's go down to our sideline reporter who's speaking with coach Rodoff.

Sideline Reporter: I hear that Lisa was not the girl who laughed. What do you have to say about that?

Coach Rodoff: I'll take a team of Lisa's any day. In the classroom. On the field. In life. I think we've just turned a massive corner.