Bulldogs show out at Jeff Chandler Memorial volleyball tournament

Dallas Mangold, Staff Writer

September 12, 2024

During the Jeff Chandler Memorial Tournament, Ayala’s Varsity team persevered through their games as they experienced a series of both wins and losses. The Bulldogs finished with a final standing of 3-2 in the silver bracket.

This past weekend, Ayala Girls Varsity Volleyball hosted the annual Jeff Chandler Memorial Tournament, a 12-school tournament that consisted of neighboring schools including Chino, Chino Hills, and San Dimas. Being set during the hot week, many teams crowded inside the gymnasium, yet that only brought more to the tournament atmosphere.

Ayala’s first game was against Carter High School. The first set was a breeze for the Bulldogs, beating Carter 25-13. Ayala didn’t hold back in the second set either, putting the final nail on Carter to beat them 25-11 to win the game. With this win Ayala held a 1-0 record to kickoff their home tournament.

Next game was against Oak Hills High School. The first set was a struggle for Ayala, not even putting up double digits in an 8-25 loss. However, the Bulldogs did not let that phase them, putting up a solid battle against Oak Hills in the second set. Managing to put up 21 wasn’t enough for a win, as Ayala lost the second set 21-25, losing the game. At that point, Ayala was 1-1 going into their next bracket game.

With the loss aimed to be behind them, the Bulldogs were determined to get a win to keep them from going into a losing record. Facing off against San Dimas this time, the first set was fought long and hard, but with Ayala falling short yet again with a score of 20-25. If the games had shown anything, it showed that the Bulldogs were not going to go down without a fight. Going into the second set, Ayala showed promise in tying up the sets, but faltered. Ayala lost the second set 18-25, holding a 1-2 record for the tournament.

For the first time in the tournament, Ayala was facing a local foe, Chino High School, who also showed signs of a fight in their games. The first set was fought hard by both sides, as the game was contested going into extra points. Ayala fell in the first set, yet showed promise with a 24-26 score to back it up. This fight was brought into the second set, as the Bulldogs went all out and won the second set 25-22, their first set win since their first game against Carter. Going into the third set, Ayala was determined to finish out the game, doing exactly that with a demanding 15-5 third set win ultimately winning them the game.

Going into their final match, Ayala was set to face off against their biggest opponent yet, as well as their rival, Chino Hills High School. With both teams looking fierce this tournament, it was poised to be the game of the day, and possibly of the tournament. Both teams seemed ready to play, with the first set being close throughout, but Chino Hills pulled through for a 25-21 first set win. Ayala was not going to sit down and take it, coming back in the second set and putting up a good performance with a final set score of 25-19. Going into the third set, the Bulldogs looked to work their extra set magic, having beaten Chino previously in dominant fashion. The third set was tough, being relatively close until the end, as Chino Hills mustered a 15-11 blow on Ayala, winning the game.

Overall, Ayala ended the tournament with a 2-3 record, good enough to put them in the top five of teams on their home court. With this exciting tournament now over, Ayala looks to be back in season with powering fashion as they take on Glendora High School today at home.

About the Contributors

Dallas Mangold, Staff Writer

Dallas Mangold (12) is a staff writer, and this is his 2nd year with the Bulldog Times. Dallas hopes to keep students informed about all the important, cool, and informational things that happen throughout Ayala. He looks forward to continuing to write articles for everyone to read, as well as bonding with his journalism colleagues. Outside of basic academics, Dallas is also a football player, going into his 3rd year of the sport. He also enjoys reading, writing creatively, working on cars, and listening to classical and jazz music whilst learning to cook (he admits it works). Dallas hopes to succeed in his writing one day and make a difference in the world doing so.

Danviga Karthik, Staff Writer

Danviga Karthik (9) is a staff writer, and this is her first year with the Bulldog Times. Danviga hopes to grow her writing and collaboration skills during her time on staff. She is excited to learn more about photography and about the world of journalism. She hopes to get herself and others invested in school culture with her work. Danviga plays volleyball for Ayala, on their frosh team. She is vice president and cofounder of Food 4 Life, as well as a member of Find Kind and Key Club. In her free time she enjoys reading books and spending time with her friends. She loves her family, traveling out of the country, and reading psychological thrillers.