The girls’ volleyball team ended their season in the first round of CIF State Division I with a four-set loss to Liberty High School Nov 15.They finished with an overall record of 20 wins to 10 losses and they progressed farther in the post-league playoffs than they did last year.
The girls lost the first set 22-25 after trailing by a point for most of the game. Although the Wolverines had strong kills from opposite hitter Jamie Rao ’18 and outside hitter Bella Hedley ’18, the Patriots blocked their strong hits and the Wolverines repeatedly got stuck in the net.
In the second game, the girls fell behind and ended up trailing Liberty for most of the set and losing 22-25. Although they won some points through aces and blocking, the Wolverines lost others to misplaced hits and a few due to communication.
The girls won the third set 25-19 after taking the lead early and holding onto it. They had a better offensive game with a consistent momentum that helped them pull away by the end and ultimately win with a kill by outside hitter Carly Wallace ’20.
The Wolverines lost the fourth set 24-26 after starting out down by six and then trailing by three for the majority of the game. The girls closed the gap with a kill from middle blocker Caroline Tilton ’19 and an ace from outside hitter Bianca Bergsneider to pull ahead 24-23 before Liberty came back to defeat the Wolverines.
This game concludes the first year for the new coaching staff, including Head Coach Hayley Blanchard.
Hedley said that the team bonded with the new coach and responded well to the positive changes she made to the program.
“[Blanchard] has done an amazing job really turning the program around and making it something that I know I will look back on being proud to have been a part of,” Hedley said.
Libero Isabel Wiatt ’18 also thought the season was a success for the team.
“This season has been everything we would’ve wanted and more,” Wiatt said. “We have not only been successful but have grown to love the sport more and have become a family.”
