There’s no way around the fact that the Hawk’s women’s volleyball team was at a loss this season. The team had a 3-18 record and struggled to make a push toward improvement.
The team lost 12 matches in a row before managing a single victory, which came against last-place Skyline. Two of their three wins have come from matches against the 0-21 Skyline Trojans.
While the team may have fallen short this year, it is crucial to put the situation into context. The Hawks didn’t have a season for the last three years, they are playing under a new head coach and their schedule has been incredibly challenging. Las Positas played in a bracket against San Mateo, Monterey Peninsula and Cabrillo, all of which are top contenders in their division.
Regardless of how the season went, the Hawks kept high spirits throughout the whole experience.
“We stay motivated by encouraging each other. We keep it positive. It’s easy that way to keep high spirits, win or lose,” sophomore athlete Soraya Russell said.
The Hawks took on Ohlone for their last game of the season. The game occurred on sophomore night, complete with a crowd consisting of loved ones anticipating a positive end to the season.
The Hawks fell to Ohlone in three sets, but the match was full of fireworks. From the jump, Las Positas looked like they were playing with house money.
The first set ended with a 25-16 score in favor of Ohlone, and similarly the second set finished at 25-10 with Ohlone on top. However, the Hawks weren’t looking to quit just yet.
The Hawks jumped out to a lead in the third set. Rallies back and forth and a roaring crowd built up the Hawks’ growing confidence. Ohlone eventually won the set by the skin of their teeth, scoring 25 to LPC’s 21.
In spite of a disappointing season, players took a liking to the new head coach, Jamie Hadenfelt.
“Coach Jamie is amazing. She’s taken the time and supported each of us individually. Yes, we all have different levels of experience, but she learned to work with that and develop us as a team and as individuals, athlete Rachel Dayton said. She continued, “Compared to other coaches, she’s on a different level. (She’s) absolutely one of the best coaches I’ve ever worked with.”
The Hawks hope to come back next season to prove that 2022 was simply an outlier. Until next season, LPC volleyball will have plenty of time to reflect on an arduous season.
Mason Newbould is a staff writer for The Express. Follow him @mason_newbie.
