Under the gym lights and amidst a full crowd of students and parents from both schools watching on the bleachers, the Gabrielino Eagles girls varsity volleyball team took on the Marshall Eagles in a close matchup on Oct. 10, 2025, for their Senior Night.
Senior Night is always a sentimental last home game for all the players, but especially the seniors. It is a night of appreciation for all the hardworking players who have brought home countless memories and victories for the team throughout their volleyball careers at Gabrielino.
Senior Jocelyn Chau shares how she felt during the night, “After watching the previous senior nights, it’s really nice to see and know that it’s for us this time.”
“It’s crazy that it’s our turn. Like, oh, now we’re the seniors,” agrees senior Miley Hy.
Before the game, the seniors were greeted with a surprise, a decorated team room, which has been a tradition within the team for years, done by the underclassmen. Coaches showed their appreciation with a bouquet for the players, a sign of recognition for their hard work. Alongside this, players from the JV and Frosh volleyball teams greeted the seniors with personalized gift baskets, commemorating their unwavering dedication to the team.
“We wanted to do a lot for the seniors because we’ve gotten really close this season,” freshman Macey San Filippo states. She and other freshmen on varsity felt very welcomed by the seniors, sharing how the team bonded really well despite the grade gaps.
As the seniors prepared to take on their home court one last time in Gabrielino’s name, they shared words of wisdom for next year’s varsity team as their last gifts to the team:
“Keep working hard and don’t be discouraged, because in time, it’ll get better,” Chau advised.
“It’s going to be a tough year,[…]but I know they’re more than capable of doing exceptional,” senior Kacie Nguyen predicts.
“Good luck, remember to come together as a team, and just keep fighting for what you care about. Just have fun with each other,” senior Audrey Ko shared.
“Be the teammate you want. Be the supportive person you want for other people,” Hy concludes.
During the intense match, the team was led by captains Audrey Ko, Samantha Cheung, and Miley Hy. Going into the game, Gabrielino held a winning streak over Marshall in their last nine matchups, with a record of 8-1 in victories.
When play began, Gabrieino fell to Marshall in the first set with a score of 12-25.
Amidst the early turnout, the crowd chanted in encouragement, waving their flags and posters in support of the team, pushing the girls for the next sets.
Hy recalls the moment, “I felt very loved, like there are so many people here. They’re all here to celebrate us.”
“It was definitely very nice to see, and I was laughing at it a little bit,” Ko agrees.
With the push from the supporting crowd and a barrage of digs and spikes from the girls, Gabrielino was able to turn the score around for the next two sets, winning 25-19 in the second set and 25-22 in the third set.
However, within the fourth and fifth sets, Marshall regained the victory, with the sets ending in scores of 18-25 and 13-15. In the end, Marshall won over Gabrielino in a close final score of 3-2.
Despite the game’s turnout, the night still belonged to the players as they basked in their moment.
“Yeah, it would’ve been better if we won, but I think that we all played pretty well, and we came together in the end,” shares Nguyen.
“Even though we fell short, I’m grateful that me and my team played our best. I feel sad that it’s about to be over, but there’s more to come,” freshman Jameela Aisha Concepcion agrees.
“I’m really grateful that I got to be a part of a team that really loved playing together,” Hy reflects.
After the game, a special personal speech was read out loud to each senior, a sentimental way to end the night.
Concepcion shares how the seniors played a big part in both her growth as a person and a volleyball player, “They’re great players, but they’re even better teammates. They’ve helped me a lot.”
