On Wednesday, Oct. 16, the Archie Williams varsity girls volleyball team faced the San Marin High School Mustangs for their last game of the season. The Falcons, with a 2-6 Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) record, took flight for a final time to play the Mustangs (3-4) in Novato, coming off of a four-loss streak. The Falcons could not break their losing streak, and the game ended in four sets, with San Marin winning 3-1. 

The game was a long fight from the very first serve, with the Mustangs winning the first set 25-15. San Marin began the set with an almost immediate 8-0 lead over the Falcons, and kept a gap in the score for the remainder of the set. Despite the Falcons’ eventual loss of the game, their display of defense and energy showed strongly throughout the match.

“I think that we definitely played with a lot of heart and a lot of energy. It’s a little heartbreaking to have our season end so early, but I’m proud of the job that the girls did this year,” said Archie Williams girls varsity volleyball head coach Lisa Hudson.

The Falcons remained positive moving into the second set, despite the initial offensive takeover from the Mustangs. Archie Williams junior Alyse Rosen and sophomore Lydia Battaglia collaborated to get the ball over the net, but that unfortunately wasn’t enough to win the second set, which ended with San Marin in favor 25-9. 

Despite the negative outcome in the first two sets, the Falcons strengthened their offensive pressure, achieving multiple aces and kills throughout the third set. Archie Williams kept San Marin at bay, winning the set 23-25. The Falcons retaliated against the Mustangs’ previous offensive pressure, repeatedly tying and leading the score to eventually win the set.

Archie Williams junior Mackenzie Mann played a large role in keeping the score close, demonstrating multiple aces and strong serves during the game. 

“My favorite moment from the game today was when we won the third set, and [that’s when it] hit us, that [it was] probably going to be our last game together,” Mackenzie said.

The fourth and final set resulted in a score of 25-15, with the Mustangs’ offense overpowering the Falcons, ending the game three sets to one in San Marin’s favor. Sophomore Sadie Weinberg assisted in keeping the Archie Williams team afloat in the final two sets, serving back-to-back aces. Despite finishing off their season with a record of 2-18, the Falcons’ season was filled with growth and new bonds between players, resulting in a successful season. 

“The fact that [the season is] over is super surreal, and we had so many great new people this year. Everyone got so much better, and everyone improved so much as we went further into the season. Even though we didn’t end on a win, I think we accomplished a lot together as a team this season,” Sadie said.