The audience explodes as the libero receives the opponent’s powerful spike. Before reveling in the accomplishment, the hitters transition towards the ten-foot line while the setter runs up to prepare for offense. All three hitters begin running towards the net, but only one jumps and stretches her arms to swing at the ball. Once she attacks, the ball narrowly passes through the blockers hands and slams straight down onto the court. Within seconds, the crowd erupts in a roar of ecstatic cheers as the girls on the courts and sidelines celebrate their win, drowning out the sound of the score buzzer blaring at the end of the game to signify their triumphant finish.
Despite suffering through several losses, moments of victory like these have made this memorable volleyball season one to commemorate. Memories such as hours of toiling during practice together or hyping each other up with dance parties in the weight room before tournaments helped to knit the student athletes closer, even while outside of the court.
“I thought this season was great,” right-side hitter Riley Ferreira (11) said. “I loved the coaches, I loved all my teammates, I loved all the progress we made this year, I thought it was a pretty fun season.”
This year, the varsity team was made up of 15 skilled Bulldogs who each greatly contributed to the team, consisting of: Isabella Emanuele (12), Learden Lee (12), Nevaeh Livingston (12), Daniella Serrano (12), Emma Utterback (12), Jordyn Balingit (11), Abigail Domingo (11), Riley Ferreira (11), Alyssa Hodges (11), Kaitlyn Min (11), Taelor Walker (11), Allison Wong (11), Ella Kroeze (10), Kendall Kroeze (10), and Alexis Ojeda (10).
The 2023 season began with an away game around mid-August where Ayala dominated their opponent, San Dimas High School. Through the following rollercoaster of games, the students finished their season with an abundance of different experiences.
“It was crazy and chaotic but it was really fun,” senior Nevaeh Livingston said, the libero and outside hitter of the varsity team. “It’s pretty sad because this is the last time I’ll ever be playing volleyball but I’m happy I got to spend it with all these girls and got to have a great time.”
The varsity girls were also greatly influenced by one another. During practices and long game days, their companionship was what helped them survive. For senior outside hitter Emma Utterback, the teammate that inspired her the most was Abigail (Abby) Domingo.
“She’s really pushed me to do my best in every single game and I just love her positive attitude,” Utterback said.
“[Learden] balls out every day in practice and she’s really good,” Livingston said. “She not only inspires me but also inspires the other girls in this foundation.”
In addition to motivating one another, this team has helped move their own coach.
“I began to enjoy [the journey and seeing individual players develop] more and more,” head volleyball coach Jeff Weihert said, “They became more important than winning. Winning is still important, of course, but you stop making yourself miserable over it. I enjoy coaching more now than ever before and I am able to learn so much more about myself and my role as a coach because I am not so worried about proving myself.”
While the challenges have opened the Bulldogs to many new opportunities and experiences, the struggles as a student athlete to balance sports with academic work was a burden to several of the girls.
“Personally I’m very excited it ended but also a little sad,” Utterback said. “But overall I’m just really happy because I’m burnt out.”
This year, our varsity Bulldogs had almost made it to CIF, but lost during a rematch against Claremont High School that would have allowed them to enter the state-level competition. In spite of their devastating loss, the students’ outstanding performance and extraordinary growth throughout the entire season was enough to accommodate for their loss.
“I learned to shake off your mistakes,” Ferreira said. “Don’t put people down for their mistakes, don’t get mad, just tell them to move on from it and they’ll get the next one.”
The varsity team ended the season 15-15 and played many difficult games that resulted in multiple wins and losses. Though this year’s season may have officially come to an end, Bulldogs cannot wait for the highly anticipated future seasons that have yet to come.
