Girls volleyball continues CIF with a win

On Thursday, Nov. 2, spectators piled into the North Gym to cheer on the Samo girls volleyball team as they continued their CIF season with an extremely close win against Valley Christian, 3-1.Beginning their first set in their second CIF game, the girls were ready and confident to play well on the court. However, the team definitely had nerves as they set up against their skilled opponent. As the first set begun, the crowd cheered them on and were ready to watch a win. However, the girl’s nerves got the best of them, and they began to fall behind on the scoreboard. To their dismay, Samo lost the first set, 23-25. Varsity player Dylan Leight (’20) knew that her team had the skill to rebound from the loss.“We are a strong team that can push hard and come back from any setback. We have skill and work great together,” Leight said.As the team began their second set, the audience was on their feet in chants and cheers. Fueled by the loss, the girls played with great skill and cohesiveness together. As they racked up the points, the girls regained the confidence they had started with and won the second set, 25-19.Heading into the third set, all the girls knew that in order to get a win for Samo, they needed to work hard and push themselves. Exhausted but ready to perform strongly, they headed onto the court with an intense focus. Motivated to boost themselves ahead of Valley Christian, the team played exceedingly well and won the third set, 25-11. This win was the reassurance Channing Baker (’20) needed, and she was proud of her team’s performance on the court.“We played amazingly in sets two and three as a team and as individuals, and we were able to score points quickly together. I’m so proud of our teamwork,” Baker said.Walking into their fourth set, the girls knew that one more win would end in an overall victory for Samo, and getting to advance to the next round of CIF games. Thirsty for the win, the team huddled and discussed their tactics before marching onto the court. The team played with focus and were able to gain a quick lead on the scoreboard. Before the spectators knew it, Samo had won the fourth and final set, 25-11. Varsity player Annalise Wille (’20) was happy with the way her team played and thrilled with the win.“Our team showed great skill together on the court. We were able to play together just like we have been practicing, and it payed off,” Wille said. As the girls rejoice in their victory, they will continue to practice hard and prepare for their upcoming CIF game against Culver City on Saturday.