![Junior Diya Arun stares out a window. For Arun, the winter season brings out the holiday blues. “ I think [the winter] has a negative effect on my mental health because I feel like the cold weather and people around me are also sadder [and] that affects me,” Arun said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_8047-1200x800.jpg)
![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)
On Sept. 11, the Phoenix varsity volleyball team went head to head against the Briar Woods Falcons, with the game ending in a loss for the Phoenix. The Phoenix showed out with tons of energy and spirit, using this game as a learning experience to tweak their strategies and improve for future games. “[The team] is getting better after every match, and I think that we’ve been doing pretty well,” varsity head coach Buzz Laird said.
The first set started off strong, with both teams scoring consistently. Both sides rallied the ball throughout the set, determined to get an edge early on in the game. During one of the more intense moments of the set, senior McKenna Sutherland closed out the rally with a powerful spike as she put the Phoenix in the lead. Following Sutherland’s spike, junior Rania Lahbibi also spiked the ball and earned numerous cheers from the crowd. Despite frequently scoring throughout the progression of the set, the Phoenix lost their lead towards the end, resulting in the Falcons claiming the set 25-18.
The Phoenix quickly fell behind in the second set, putting the Falcons in the lead with a final set score of 25-16.
As the third set began, the Phoenix turned the course of the game around, maintaining a decent lead for the majority of the set. However, the score started to tie towards the end, as both teams desperately tried to get ahead of each other. After a couple of intense rallies, the Falcons quickly scored a few consecutive points and won the set by four points to close out the game.
The Phoenix communicated well throughout the game and lifted each other up when mistakes were made. However, they still agree that their communication should be tightened up more. “[We can] definitely improve on communication and staying consistent,” junior Lola Aguilar said. “For the loss that we had, I feel like we kept ourselves together pretty well.”
