END OF REGULAR SEASON
10/12/2024
Our girls played the last match of the Regular Phase against SGA with the top spot in the group at stake. The team was missing Teodora, still injured from the previous match against MIS, but welcomed back Zoe, who had missed the first games due to academic reasons.
The match was very close at every moment. All the girls stepped up to take on more responsibilities in Teodora's absence, and we won the first set by a tight 25-27. It was a display of character and determination, but unfortunately, some consecutive errors at the start of the second set put the girls on the back foot, and they ended up losing 25-14. In the decisive tiebreaker, the balance continued, but the SGA girls were more accurate in the final moments and took the third set, the match, and the top spot in the group by 15-11.
On Monday, our girls will play a friendly match against HSS to prepare for the semifinal of the Final Four, which will be held on Thursday against SCIE at their campus. Although they won't go in as favorites, our team hopes to make history and qualify for the competition's final.
After the league match, our boys played their second-to-last friendly of the season against the locals. All our players are progressing positively, playing more as a team and showing greater cohesion and accuracy in all phases of the game. After narrowly losing the first set 25-23, the boys dominated the second with an 18-25 win. Unfortunately, just as the team's performance was improving, the third set could not be played due to a lack of time, denying our boys the chance to secure their first victory of the season.
VICTORY AT A HIGH COST
09/26/2024
Our girls secured another victory on Merchiston’s court, keeping their unbeaten record this season and guaranteeing their spot in the Final Four, which will take place in mid-October. However, they paid the price with an injury to our player Teodora, who twisted her ankle during a serve, leaving her participation in the remaining matches uncertain.
It was an odd match at Merchiston. Our girls were the favorites, and nothing suggested the closeness of the final score in all the sets played. But the home team employed a very direct style of play, simply returning the ball over the net with a single touch without trying to combine between players, which threw off our team. Our girls made some errors and got caught up in the rhythm of the game.
Teodora, Tisa, and Larissa led the team in points, as they usually do, and the rest of the players provided solid support in setting up plays and receiving. After Teodora’s injury, Tisa took on the responsibility and led the team to victory in a display of power and competitiveness. We hope this match serves as a lesson for the future and that the girls have gained the experience of playing and competing when the score difference is minimal.
On the other hand, the boys had mixed results in their match, losing the first set 28-26 after having serve and set point at 24-23, and completely deflating in the second set, following the missed opportunity, losing by a decisive 25-9. The coaches can see the progress of the boys and also the understandable lack of consistency in a team still under development. It was another valuable experience for a team that we hope will be able to compete in the league next season.
| GIRLS WIN, BOYS COMPETE 09/19/2024  Our girls achieved a valuable and resounding victory in their league debut against VMA, the current and unbeaten champions last year. The new sports season begins with a new competition system, in which teams are divided into two groups of four teams each, making every match critically important. The game didn’t start off in the best way, as after a very brief warm-up and without time to adapt to the new court, the girls found themselves trailing 12-5. From that point, ten consecutive points gave our girls the lead. Tisa and Larissa scored many points from serves, and Teodora led the team with points in play and near the net. In the second set, with the team sailing smoothly, the score was even more lopsided. Baiansy, Kimmy, Kelley, Mary Mo, Kelly, and Mary Zhang provided strong support to our three top scorers, and, besides playing good minutes, they maintained the level and excellence. After sealing the match with a 2-0 victory for RDF, coaches agreed to play a mini set to give more playing time to the girls with fewer minutes on the court. That mini set ended with a 15-12 score for the home team. After the girls' match, our boys took their turn and played a friendly against VMA’s boys' team, who are also the current league champions. Our student-players competed at a high level, especially in the second set, after overcoming a poor start that left them without an option at the beginning of the first set. It would be unfair to name just one player as the team leader since the scoring and standout actions were well distributed among several players. The boys were even able to win the last mini set, leaving with a good feeling and some optimism for future friendly games. Next week our teams will face Merchiston, having our girls the first opportunity to seal their presence in the Final Four and battle for the medals.
Our volleyball teams kicked off the season with a couple of friendly matches against Basis Bilingual School, in what was the first day our campus hosted competitive volleyball games. It was a very special moment for our players, coaches, and the rest of the students who are part of our family. Our girls' team faced an opponent they might meet in the final stage of the league but do not face in the group stage. Since Basis had already made their competition debut, this friendly match was a great test for our girls to gauge their level before their league debut next week. Tisa and Larissa scored many consecutive points from serves, Teodora led the team in all areas, Baiansy, Kimmy, and Zoe played very solidly in receptions, and Joanna, Kelley, Mary Mo, and Mary Zhang contributed a lot of minutes on the court during the match. All our girls showed they are ready for the competition, winning the game with a decisive 3-0. On the other hand, our boys gained valuable experience, enriching for the future, and showed they could compete on equal terms against an opponent who plays in the league. Despite the lack of players and the limited number of training sessions, the boys fought until the end, narrowly losing the tiebreaker set 10-15. Tony and Anson led the team in both attack and defense, while Jack, Jared, Ryan, and John played at a high level to keep the chance of victory alive until the very end. Next Thursday, both the girls and the boys will travel to Dameisha to face the VMA teams: league debut for the girls, and another friendly match for the boys.
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SEASON OPENING!
（9/9/2024）
Our two High School Volleyball teams kicked off their seasons with a friendly match between both squads, which served as preparation for the league competition that will start next week (and for which our Girls Team has high expectations). On the other hand, this friendly was a good opportunity for our boys to continue building chemistry before facing other schools in upcoming friendly matches.
The girls started the game ahead, and equality was the general tone of the game until midway through the set. Teodora and Larissa showed great determination in defensive receptions and also in serving, while Tony and Anson scored points for the boys, taking advantage of their jumping ability and explosiveness near the net. The boys gained a small lead, which they managed until the end of the set, though not without difficulties, as Tisa and Teodora didn’t give up in their attempt to win the first set.
In the second set, with substitutions on both teams (coaches Goran and Roma took the opportunity to give playing time to as many players as possible), the girls started dominating clearly, taking a 10-4 lead thanks to Tisa’s good serves, Teodora’s receptions, and the fine touches from Baiansy, Zoe, and Kimmy. The boys slowly reduced the deficit until they got ahead 18-19, winning the set and the match in a very close finish.
The game was a great experience for both our young players and our school, which was thrilled with a friendly where the girls showed they could compete on equal footing with the boys, and the boys demonstrated their desire and determination to keep improving and enjoy this sport.
This Thursday, our campus will host the first competitive game against another school. At 4:00 p.m., our girls will play against Basis Futian, followed by the boys’ match once the girls' game is concluded. Our first league game will take place at VMA campus on Thursday 19th. GO EAGLES!
