Girls volleyball closed out its CIF playoff run with a 3-1 loss against San Marcos Nov.6. Despite the defeat, the D-II Wolverines won one set and maintained their energy during long rallies. Gabrielle Ngo (1), a middle and right side hitter, played in the CIF matchup and provided coverage of the game. Ngo said the team worked to keep its focus and communication consistent throughout  the four sets, even as San Marcos gained the lead. She added that the Wolverines aimed to finish their postseason sun with perseverance and unity on the court. 

“We lost in four, which was good because we took off a set,” Ngo said.  “Whenever we go to away games, we struggle a bit because we’re not in a familiar setting like our own gym. We beat them when we were at home, so we know we can beat them.”

The defeat ended Westview’s participation in CIFs, but the Wolverines immediately shifted their focus to state playoffs, where they lost 0-3 against Dana Hills Highschool. 

Defense and consistency have been vital points of focus in practice. Ngo emphasized that sustaining tenacity in rallies has also been a goal for the team. 

“We had some long rallies that were so fun to play,” Ngo said. “We just want to compete enough to actually win those long rallies and outlast the other team. We’re working on keeping our endurance up throughout the entire game.”

Although the Wolverines played hard, the energy in the gym was different from their home matches. 

“We had a tiny student section, four JV and frosh girls came,” Ngo said. “It sucks not having a lot of people there. Energy is huge in volleyball and when you’re down, it’s hard to get out of that.”

Ngo was among the players that had to make greater adjustments this season. With a younger roster and shifting positions, several athletes were pushed to play in foreign posts on the court, and develop new skills to support the team’s needs. For Ngo, it meant to embrace and adapt to the different position and to rely on offseason preparation to handle the transition during a challenging schedule of practices and matches. 

“Im mostly playing outside now,” Ngo said. “I started in the middle, then the right side, but now I’m outside and I like it a lot. I haven’t played in a club before, but all my training over the summer and pre-season helped a lot.”

The Wolverine’s CIF run terminated a season of steady prosperity, as the team adjusted to a tougher schedule and learned to compete in high-pressure matches. Over the course of league and postseason play, players formed a stronger connection on the court, and gained comfort with long rallies against higher-seeded opponents. The CIF loss, while disappointing, provided the team with a foundation for the level of skill the team strives for in future seasons. 

“We didn’t get the ending we wanted in CIF, but we finished stronger than we started,” Ngo said. “Now we know what it takes, and we want to come back even better.”