As tension and energy erupted between the two teams, varsity boys volleyball played their Senior Night on May 8, losing against the Monta Vista Matadors after four hard-fought sets.
Early on, outside hitter, sophomore Louis Kordus ferociously spiked two hard-driven balls that set the score 11-10, with the Mustangs leading.
Outside hitter, senior Jacoby Nelson then delivered a cross-court kill shortly after, making the score 8-6. Across multiple rallies, the Matadors executed sharp spikes, but the Mustangs were able to successfully dig most of these attacks.
Several points later, Kordus hit the ball directly on the opponent’s sideline, closing the first set for HHS with a close score of 25-22, securing a victory.
However, maintaining high energy in the second set proved difficult, as a buildup of minor mistakes from the Mustangs allowed the Matadors to lead 5-1.
Despite strong plays from the Mustangs, the Matadors’ offensive prowess weighed them down through the second set, opposite hitter, senior Krishna Arvind said. As the Matadors aimed the ball to land in uncovered areas of the court, HHS struggled to rebound from the 2-9 gap.
During the second set, the team also struggled to score points due to the declining energy on the court, opposite hitter, sophomore Itamar Schwartz said.
“The energy outside the court was fine, but the energy on the court went down,” Schwartz said. “We cheered less and communicated less, so we didn’t get as many balls as we possibly could have.”
As a result of their setback, the Mustangs lost the second set 15-25. Heading to the next set, middle blocker, freshman Joey Orrin said it was important for the Mustangs to maintain a resilient attitude.
“The mindset going into the third set was wanting [victory] more than them. I think that’s something that’s been a common theme this season, especially towards the end,” Orrin said.
In the first few points of the third set, the Matadors scored with a service ace and a kill that were quickly offset by the Mustangs’ attacks, leveling the score to 5-5.
After a powerful block by setter, junior Cayden Chan, the Mustangs took the lead 14-13, Arvid said. They continued to make even more blocks afterward, rejuvenating the team’s morale.
In response, the Matadors executed a string of service aces that pushed the score to 19-19. With pressure mounting at the end of the set, Kordus scored a tip for HHS, but the Matadors’ consistent offense and a blocking error from the Mustangs marked a loss in the third set at 22-25.
Jumping to the last breaths of the fourth set, the Matadors’ forceful blocking brought the score to 9-21. The Mustangs still gave it their all, and owing to precisely placed spikes, they made a significant rebound, bringing the final score to an outcome of 17-25.
Although the outcome was not what they wished for, Orrin said the Mustangs still played a hard fought game with numerous highlights.
“Our blocking was exceptional in this game,” Orrin said. “Our middles did a great job, as well as our outsides and opposites. Everybody was on top of it, making sure they were there.”
Before and after the game, Schwartz said the Senior Night traditions went well, ending the team’s season on a happy note.
“For each senior, they would walk down the aisle and take photos. We read out speeches for all the seniors. After that, we congratulated them after the game,” Schwartz said. “We took pictures, and everybody’s pitch was five minutes longer than it should have been, so it was dragging on and we were all laughing. That was really fun.”
