Bulldogs show heart in their first varsity season this year
The way Sobrato girls’ volleyball head coach Gayle Yankee sees it, her team always has a choice: Give up or tough it out.
Faced with that decision once again in their final match of the season against Gilroy at home Thursday, the Bulldogs took the high road, as they’ve done often during their difficult first varsity season.
After Sobrato (2-20, 0-12) beat the Mustangs in Game 1 25-17, it fell quickly in Games 2 and 3 by scores of 9-25 and 12-25. The Bulldogs couldn’t take the final game from Gilroy, but it fought hard trying before losing the game and the match 24-26.
“You always have a choice. You can roll over, say it’s done and cop an attitude. Or you lay it all out there and you leave it on the court and play the best you can play,” Yankee said. “And to take that fourth game to 24-26 was an amazing statement about this team and their ability to persevere to the last whistle. I’m extremely proud of the way that they played and what that holds for our future.”
In what Yankee called her team’s “best match of the season,” middle hitter Jordyn Hanne led all attackers with 14 kills. The junior also had four aces.
Heather Castro contributed five kills and Janie Aylard, Nicole Simoneau and Jenna Spark each had two kills apiece.
Yankee said excellent serving and error-free volleyball were what earned the Game 1 win.
“We came out strong,” Yankee said. “The kids are gaining confidence. Even when we didn’t play our best, individual players gained and that carried them over to the next game.”
It’s been a trying season for Sobrato, which has no seniors, 10 sophomores and three juniors on its roster. And one of those sophomores, defensive specialist Natasha Chavez, is only 13 years old. Chavez skipped two grades in elementary school.
“It is just the most amazing thing because she has held her own in a varsity league,” Yankee said.
With such youth returning and several players participating in club volleyball in the off-season, Yankee is optimistic about the Bulldogs’ future in the Blossom Valley Athletic League next year. Both Sobrato and Live Oak will play in the BVAL next fall.
“Everyone on the team has gained so much more confidence, are so much smarter and have so much more insight into the technical aspects of the game and they’re making it happen now,” Yankee said.
The Bulldogs also have depth in their favor. This year, Yankee depended on non-starters Wendy Detmers and Emily Scapinello often in making strategic lineup changes when games required them.
“The players who didn’t get to play a lot have contributed this season on the court and off,” Yankee said. “It’s great when bench players can come in and make that immediate impact.”
