As the Irvington Vikings Girls Volleyball season comes to a close, the Vikings finish with a 9-9 record, finishing 4th in the Mission Valley Athletic League. The season featured both highs and lows, but the team’s enthusiasm, perseverance, and grit helped them tackle each challenge as they competed against their opponents.
The team’s synergy was on display throughout the season, with teammates “constantly working together to create a strong dynamic,” the team’s captain Brianna Tu (11) commented. “During the volleyball season, we spend almost every single day of the week together. It can be mentally and physically exhausting, but this season we prioritized working together even in the face of conflict, which definitely paid off,” added Tu (11). To further strengthen the bond with numerous new members on the team this year, they organized “multiple team bondings, such as going to the beach together or even just getting froyo after practice,” added Meha Vedere (11).
This year, the team had major wins, dominating against teams that they had not won against before. For games where they didn’t win, the team “went down with a fight” by doing their “best throughout the season and always striving to do better,” added Kaitlyn Law (11).
This year, the team implemented multiple improvements to boost success, along with morale. “In past years, we would go to the gym after school and not take practice as seriously,” reflected Tu (11). However, this year, they made sure “every practice this season was used for new strategies, or cleaning up our technique,” said Tu (11).
As the volleyball season came to a close, the Vikings defeated the Kennedy Titans 4-0 on their Senior night, ending their season on a high note. The four seniors, Mahika Potdar, Alaina Schuman, Elisa Dalla Ricca, and Samantha Kan, as well as Team Manager Kirsten Villagracia, played their last home game. While reflecting on their season, Sean Wang, the team’s assistant coach, explained the “bittersweetness that comes with this senior class. These girls were freshman [his] first year of coaching, and now, celebrating their accomplishments feels like a full circle. We did really well this year—breaking records, utilizing practice to the max, and more. I’m proud of us.”
Now, the Irvington Girls Volleyball Team is set to compete in the North Coast Section (NCS). They have already beat Bay High School in the first round, displaying their prowess against intense competition. However, during round 2, they lost to St. Patrick-St. Vincent, ending their NCS journey and their season.
