The girls volleyball team held its Senior Night last night, October 25, during which it played Palo Alto High School (Paly). The game ended in a 0-3 loss to Paly; however, the match was incredibly close throughout. The team lost by less than 5 points in each set.

In its last home game of the season, the team recognized seniors Katie Snider, Nikki Klepper, Natalie Dwulet, and Tianna Vasquez. Before the game began, younger members of the team read speeches to each senior, expressing their appreciation and sharing memories of the past.

“Senior Night was actually a lot of fun,” senior Katie Snider said. “It was really nice to see the whole team get together and reflect on the memories that we had. It’s a really good time to see the gym decorated and it gets us in the spirit to play the game.”

After the Senior Night ceremonies, the game against Palo Alto began. The girls came out strong and energized behind a loud crowd, taking an early lead. The first set continued to be tight until the end, when Palo Alto pulled away to take a 25-21 victory.

The second set also played out closely from start to finish. The teams traded points back and forth, and fought out each point with long rallies. Towards the end of the set, Palo Alto took a four point lead that the Eagles couldn’t catch back, giving Palo Alto a 25-22 victory in the second set.

Palo Alto also ended up taking the victory in the third set, with a final score of 25-22, giving them a 3-0 match victory. Despite losing in three sets, the Eagles fought out each set with great effort and intensity. The squad definitely looked strong, playing with great communication and power.

“I think we only had a couple of serving errors and served tough the whole match,” Katie said. “I think also our defense was solid throughout most of the games, which really helps us set up and execute plays.”

While the team suffered a loss, they certainly came together in putting a strong effort as a unit. The girls really seemed to have come together, and the environment of senior night kept the team pumped till the end.

“The speeches were really heartfelt and take a lot of time,” Katie said. “They’re really meaningful and bring us close together. It’s a really nice moment to share which allows us to really able to focus on the game ahead.”