The Lady Hawks edged out the Lady Knights for a 3-2 win on Nov. 18.
Photos by JAMES ANDERSON / Scroll
The Knights beat the Hawks in the first match 3-0, tying the teams at one loss each in the tournament. Because it was double elimination, the game went into a suicide round. They won that as well, securing the title for the Knights.

Volleyball is set up slightly different this year. Teams are split up into A and B teams comparative to Varsity and Junior Varsity.

“We don’t have cuts. Everyone’s skill level is so different,” said Jessica Garrido, a junior from Hermiston, Ore., and the volleyball manager. “There are some people who have only played for one year and some that have played for ten years.”

The idea behind splitting it up is so everyone can compete against his or her own skill level. “The best thing we see is that it is competitive. It just makes it so much fun for everyone,” Garrido said. “It’s just a big circle of helping each other out.”

A-teams are getting experience in coaching as well as playing. The “Serve it up” theme continues through to coaching. A-team players coach all the teams on B level.

“Coaching and teaching volleyball fundamentals has helped to make me a better player. I can coach myself better,” said Max Bogner, a freshman from Walnut Creek, Calif., the coach of A-team Lady Hawks and a member of the A-team men’s Knights.

Bogner played volleyball in high school and is still hoping to one-day play on a college level team. “I was used to starting back home and getting lots of playing time. Here I have to sometimes sit on the bench,” Bogner said. “Coaching has helped me to not be so frustrated or bitter about not playing because now I see the other end of it.”

There are six teams for women’s A and B, four men’s A-teams and three men’s B-teams with about nine people per team.

All teams have two practices a week and the games are on the weekend. A-teams have one practice and the other time they are coaching.

“For our first year of putting it into play it is working really well. But we’re always trying to make it better. Next year will probably be a little different than this year,” Garrido said.