On Sept. 27, Gabrielino High School’s girls volleyball team played against Arroyo High School at home, winning 3-0, securing their 6th victory in the Mountain View League. As of now, they remain undefeated. Gabrelino hopes to continue this victory streak with the new team going forward.
“It’s good practice since we want to get stronger and more competitive for CIF,” said junior Audrey Ko, who is also a co-captain. “In general, I want us to play with higher energy, and make sure we not only have fun but also play to win.”
On Sept. 25, Gabrelino played Rosemead High School at home. Winning 3-0, the girls volleyball team continued to strengthen their team bond, which they described as a “sisterhood.”
“We all get along,” said junior Janna Concepcion, a new player of the girls volleyball varsity team. “Although we don’t bond a lot outside of school, there is this feeling [from playing together] that just links us together.
On Sept. 21, the Eagles went to a tournament away, winning four of the five games they played that day, either winning in straight sets of two or putting up a challenge for the other team by reaching at least 20 points before losing, even though the girls volleyball team experimented with new strategies.
“I think there were times where we had to adjust [to a new offense strategy],” shared co-captain Miley Hy, junior. “We had some really good moments; The [other] team couldn’t even keep up with us [due to] our team synergy, [it makes me] really proud.”
On Sept. 13, the girls volleyball team played against El Monte High School away, winning 3-0. Although, El Monte High School did not present as a threat to the girls volleyball team; The mentality of these girls was sharpened through sheer will and experience, allowing them to ignore the difficulties of exterior issues.
“I’d say our mentality is the weakest,” said Hy. “We always get in our heads, but when we get in that headspace, we need to remember to shake it off and try our best.”
On Sept. 11, girls volleyball played against South El Monte High School at home, winning 3-0 despite some difficulties throughout the set. This highlights the consistent development of the girl’s ability to learn from each other, mistakes, and formidable situations.
“Overall, when I look back at my freshman year, I definitely improved a lot,” said senior Mialani Morales, a co-captain who has been on the team for several years. “I’m not as nervous anymore as if I’m more prepared and if I did make a mistake, I’d reflect and move on.”
“I’d say our mentality is the weakest,” said Hy. “We always get in our heads, but when we get in that headspace, we need to remember to shake it off and try our best.”
On Sept. 9, the Eagles went against Marshall High School, winning 3-1. They lost a set to Marshall due to the loss of a key player from an injury.
“I think we played well, even though one of our key players had an ankle injury,” Ko stated. “I’m glad we were able to [adjust] with several other players who were injured.”
On Aug. 24, Gabrielino played against Mountain View High School, winning consecutive sets. This game marked the start of a great season, highlighting Ko’s significance as a key player with her power as a middle blocker. Junior Jocelyn Chau also stands out as one of the team’s strongest servers, known for her ability to take control of the game with just her serve. Even though the competitive aspect of the girls volleyball team was displayed, at the end of the day, it exhibited true sportsmanship and a fun experience.
“It’s a very fun team,” stated Concepcion, “There is no toxicity at all. Although the coaches are strict, the environment of the team should be enough to convince people to join.”
