After an exceptional fight against longtime rival Marin Catholic on Game Night, Friday Sept. 22, the girls’ varsity volleyball team lost three out of five matches.
The stakes were higher to win this game more than any other this season, said junior Taylor Leslie, a defensive player for the team. The team even had practice after the bomb threat scare on Tuesday Sept. 19 and on Thursday Sept. 21, a teacher work day where no students attended school.
“We prepared more and hyped ourselves up a lot more than usual games,” Leslie said. “You can’t let the nerves get the best of you or else you’re just gonna start getting in your head and volleyball is 90 percent mental most of the time.”
Outside of the gym, a large group of students gathered into a line to be one of the first 70 people to receive free spirit items that the Leadership class handed out. “Redzone” spirit shirts were among the items given out, there were ice cream bars—a new incentive to attract crowds to game nights.
Inside the gym, the student section was full of supporter wearing red t-shirts. There were so many spectators that the overflow had to sit on the court and try their best to avoid being hit by incoming balls.
“There’s this undeniable energy of excitement that the rest of the school brings, more than a half of them [the students] don’t come to any other game besides Game Night,” said senior and four-year volleyball player Alex Lefebure.
Unfortunately, the excitement of scoring the first point of the night was not enough to keep the Giants in the lead. Within seven minutes, the Wildcats were already up by five points. Even with a home court advantage, Marin Catholic managed to take the win for three of the five sets played in the game. The set ended 25-17, Marin Catholic up.
The student section for both teams diminished after the first set of the game as Marin Catholic increased their odds of winning. However, Redwood tried to stay positive with playful chants and encouraging words to the players on the court.
The second set started out favorably for the Giants as they kept the score even. In the first seven minutes the score was 3-3 although within a of couple minutes the Wildcats were up 5-3. They soon fell behind, leaving the score for the set 25-10 Marin Catholic’s win.
Despite the Giants’ bests efforts, the Wildcats ultimately won after a 25-22 victory.
“One thing they definitely beat us on was hitting smart parts of the court where we didn’t have our defense,” Lefebure said. “If we were able to practice the offense hitting at us faster on hard parts of the court that would’ve bettered the outcome.”
This loss lowered the Giants’ standing from second place in MCALs to third place, behind Branson in second place and Marin Catholic in first.
The next varsity volleyball game will be on Sept. 27 against Tamalpais High School.
