Junior Berry Bailey tracked a pass from sophomore Jordyn Sin before delivering a forceful spike to the Prospect High School players on the other side of the net, who were unable to receive it. This successful play was one of many in the game against Prospect on Sept. 9, when the Falcons emerged with a 3-1 victory.

The girls’ volleyball team has been on a tear as of late: they beat Milpitas in a 3-0 win on Sept. 17. Earlier, they won 3-0 against Fremont High on Sept. 12, beat Prospect  3-1 on Sept. 9 and bested Scotts Valley High 3-2 on Sept. 5. Despite having lost three seniors to graduation, the Falcons are 3-0 in league  and 5-5 overall. Some players attribute their recent success to the team’s trust and connection with one another.

Bailey, who primarily plays as a middle, wants the team to be a family on and off the court. She hopes that the team can encourage one another and maintain the supportive team dynamic left behind by last year’s seniors. 

“In some sports, we’re connected when we’re playing, but the minute we get out of a game, we’re strangers,” Bailey said. “Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, we just want to lift each other up.”

Additionally, the team aims to continue with their strong offense from last season. Sin said that the team boasts strong hitters such as Bailey and junior Ria Purisai, but that coach Steve Chiou wants to continue to strengthen their offense with juniors and sophomores so that when the current seniors graduate, the team can expect a smoother transition into next season. In addition, libero senior Lauren Hansen and Sin serve as key parts of the team’s defense.

“We’re super excited for the season to continue,” Sin said. “It’s always super fun. It’s honestly really short, which sucks, but we make the most of it.”