On Monday April 1, the West High boys volleyball team beat Tracy High 4-1. Playing away from home, the team was able to overcome their “underdog” status and show the Bulldogs what they are capable of.

Right off the bat, West played with force, dominating the first set of the game 25-5. The chemistry between our players allowed them to score points so quickly that the set was over before anyone could realize.

Tracy stepped up their game in the second set but were still unable to beat West. Senior Trevor Southards played impressively, scoring a large portion of the points in the set, assisting the team to win the set 25-23.

The third set of the game was much closer with West leading for the majority of the time while Tracy followed only a few points behind. Sophomore Julian Barbosa worked hard in the middle of the court, diving left and right to keep the ball in play. Towards the end of the set, the score was 25-24, West only needing to score one more point to win the game, but Tracy pushed to win the set 28-26.

Both teams entered the fourth set having proved to be highly competitive. It was no longer clear who would win the game. The two teams played hard but West with more determination and heart, finishing the final set 25-23, giving themselves the final win over Tracy High, 3-1.

When asked to reflect on the match, team captain Jacob Creasman believed that his team played with a “high amount of intensity and energy,” but could have done a better job at “always supporting one another.” Creasman shares that “the most important thing to remember in any team sport is that the people who have the most fun win, and to win without enjoyment is to lose.” It is clear in all of their games that the boys genuinely enjoy not only the sport, but the opportunity to play on a team with each other. It is no question why the team is so successful despite this being the first year as an official team.

Congratulations to the Boys varsity volleyball team on their impressive win against Tracy High!