![The Phoenix varsity volleyball team lines up for the national anthem. “We were more communicative [with each other] during this game, and I feel like we kept our energy up, especially after the first set,” senior Jessica Valdov said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC_0202-1200x800.jpg)
Phoenix Emerge Victorious After Battle With the Titans
On April 28, the girls tennis team took on the Dominion Titans. After a battle through singles and doubles matches, the Phoenix came out victorious with a score of 7-2.
Sophomore Sriya Yalamanchili, throws the ball in preparation for a smashing serve to start off the rally for another point. “My individual performances during my matches this season have been going well,” Yalamanchili said. “I was always trying to play my best.”
May 24, 2022
On April 28, the Phoenix Girls tennis took on the Dominan Titans at home. The team was excited to take on the Titans to maintain their top position in the district. The games began with the top six players participating in six single matches against the Titans. The matches ended with the Phoenix’s victory in singles with a score of 4-2.
After the singles matches, doubles matches began, where duos from both teams went head to head. Similar to singles, the Phoenix won doubles 3-0. The match score in total was a 7-2 win for the Phoenix. “We as a whole could have been more aggressive from the start, as our game did last longer than what was expected,” senior Sanjna Reddy said. “However, in the end we got the win, so thatś what matters.”
The team will soon be going on to compete in district playoffs, which start May 13. Before districts, the team is working towards bettering themselves as individual players and as a team. “I think we can improve on brushing up on skills that are weaker as well as building our stamina for playing in different weathers,” sophomore Sriya Yalamanchili said.
![On Monday, Dec. 16, the Rock Ridge Phoenix boys varsity basketball team faced the Unity Reed Lions in a close-knit battle, where the Phoenix prevailed 59-56.
The first quarter started slow, with both teams focusing on strong defense. Even with sophomore Filippo Gomes leading the first with two three-pointers, the Phoenix were still down three at the end of the quarter, leaving a 15-12 lead for the Lions.
The Phoenix amped up their offense considerably for the rest of the game. During the second quarter, the Phoenix scored 20 points, allowing them to grow the point gap between them and the Lions’ score, finishing the quarter 32-23 Phoenix. The third quarter was neck-and-neck as the Lions found footing again, but the Phoenix persisted and gained 14 points, ending the third quarter with a nerve-wracking 46-45 Phoenix lead. “I was a little nervous, I’m not gonna lie,” senior Akash Kulkarni said. “But just staying confident, making good passes, and listening to [Coach] Geyer [got us through].” Both teams fought tooth-and-nail for the fourth quarter, utilizing fouls, free throws, and timeouts to their advantage, but in the end, it was up to Phoenix defense to ensure their win. Ultimately, the Phoenix triumphed, with a winning score of 59-56.
After the game, the Phoenix basketball team awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) belt to the player who worked diligently behind the scenes senior William Beck. They awarded him MVP for his team leadership and playmaking throughout the game. “It feels good, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Beck said.
✏️ and 📷 by Nidhi Manchala and Lucian Tiller](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)