Varsity girls volleyball defeated the Cowboys 25-22, 25-21, 25-19 and 25-20 in a home game on Tuesday, Aug. 19.
The first set started with Walnut earning the first point. As the game progressed, both teams made a few hitting and out of bound errors. Although the Cowboys’ defense was strong, the Mustangs were able to pull through with stronger offense and fewer errors. Walnut extended their lead with strong attacks. The set ended with a score of 25-22.
In the second set, Chino made a comeback. In the first minute, the Cowboys were able to score two points. Accurate swings and strong defense contributed to both teams to tie up. But towards the end of the set, Walnut started to lose momentum, creating a few hitting errors that allowed Chino to take the lead. Although the Mustangs tried to catch up, the set ended 25-21.
“I think [in the second set] we lost focus as a team. Winning in the first set is huge for them. It gives them momentum. But they showed coming out of the second that they really wanted it,” coach Katie Meier said.
The third match was a tiebreaker for Walnut. The Mustangs started off the set strong with constant hits that would result in points. The Cowboys would try to catch up, earning points in their favor after several opposing serving errors. Despite the setbacks, Walnut continued to extend their score with solid swings and defense alongside attacking errors from Chino. The set ended with a score of 25-19 after a strong block secured the winning point.
“Our defense got a lot better, and our passing overall was really great. We got a lot smarter on our hitting because in the practice yesterday, we focused a lot on hitting, like the deep corners and tipping. I feel like we were able to hit all the spots that we practiced. When we did that all together, it just resulted in a better and cleaner game,” outside hitter junior Leilah Salonga said.
In the last set, Chino made an error that gave Walnut the first point. After a few hitting errors by the Mustangs, the opponent tied up 2-2. The scores continued to change as both teams traded points with good hits and errors. Afterwards, Walnut was ahead and maintained their lead with constant hits and blocks. At the end of the set, Chino made a few in and out of bounds that resulted in the Mustangs winning 25-20.
“My highlight of the game is just watching my younger classmen have fun because I know they put a lot of pressure on themselves to be perfect,” libero senior Joya Shen said. “Watching them play and have fun was definitely my highlight.”
