The Arcadia High School (AHS) Boys Varsity Volleyball team earned a 3-0 victory against Pasadena High School (PHS) on Mar. 7. Both teams displayed excellent sportsmanship and skill, full of energy and high morale throughout the game.
The Apaches started strong in the first set with powerful serves and raised the score to 6-2 within the first few minutes. The team cheered each other on and worked as a unit for the duration of the set with creative chants for their teammates.
The team’s points shot up with Arcadia’s offensive play with their well-placed spikes and efficient performance. Their awareness on the court gave them an advantage, which came into play as they aimed their shots at the corners of the court and consistently challenged their opponents from the beginning of the set.
“We really just tried to play smarter and focus on ourselves and our side of the court, and tried our best to be as consistent as possible,” said sophomore libero Tyler Nguyen.
Pasadena’s defense was strong throughout the first set, and they blocked and returned Arcadia’s attacks with equal skill. Despite the opponent’s effort, Arcadia won the first set with a score of 25-19.
“[PHS] played exceptional defense, relentlessly displaying their ability to keep the game going. With both teams playing great defense, it came down to who had more offensive power,” said senior middle blocker Isaiah McMahon. “Arcadia played with a very strong offense that allowed us to earn points in various situations.”
In the second set, Pasadena started with the upper hand and increased the competition. However, the Apaches recovered quickly and evened out the score, consistently communicating with each other and maintaining their energy.
“Overall, a lot of preparation goes into each game, but against Pasadena we just came out to play our best volleyball and keep up our energy,” said Team Captain and outside hitter Kyle Soriano.
Now that they were matched more evenly, the pace of the set increased, and both teams increased their number of kills and cut shots. Scores were fluctuating often, with Pasadena being in the lead only to be overtaken a few minutes later and vice versa. The Apaches remained consistent in their team effort and continued to play well. The second set tested them, but they ultimately emerged victorious with a score of 25-18.
The final set had everyone biting their nails in anticipation–if Arcadia won this set, they’d win the game. The atmosphere grew intense and the spectators were submerged in the set. Pasadena gave their all and proved to be a strong opponent, keeping the scores nearly at par until the very end. Once Arcadia had their score at 23, the team reminded each other there were “two more” points to score until they triumphed. In the end, they won the third set with a score of 25-18 as well.
“I think the first set had a few of our best swings this season so far, but I think we can definitely do better. I like how our team kept up the morale throughout the game” said Soriano when asked about his overall thoughts on the game.
Congratulations to the AHS Boys Varsity Volleyball team for a successful match! The game reflected their dedication, capability, and commitment to their sport and showed their high aptitude, indicating multiple more successes to come. Go Apaches!
Photo courtesy of Arcadia DCI intern Eisen Chang
