Falcons girls varsity volleyball soars over Terra Linda Trojans

Leonardo Olivotti, Reporter|October 9, 2022

Senior+team+captain+Elsa+Snipes+spikes+the+ball+over+Terra+Linda+blockers.

Willy Finley

Senior team captain Elsa Snipes spikes the ball over Terra Linda blockers.

Sports
Junior Reese Fraser sets the ball for freshman Felicity Brown during the second set of Wednesdays game.
AWHS girls volleyball fall to Hawks in close season opener
Varsity girls go into a team huddle to discuss their next move. The Falcons student section is pictured in the back.
Falcons girls volleyball slams Cardinals
Students celebrate the Falcons girls varsity volleyball team after their four set win over Acalanes High School on Aug. 24.
AWHS girls volleyball aces Acalanes in season opener
The Falcons defend their home court in the second set as they prepare for the Giants to hit the ball back over the net.
Varsity boys volleyball chop down Redwood in MCAL semifinals

On Thursday, Oct. 6, the AWHS Falcons girls varsity volleyball clashed with the Terra Linda Trojans on the Falcons’ own turf. The Falcons have had their ups and downs so far this season, but with the help of energetic fans, the Falcons were able to take a 3-0 set win.

Senior libero Phoebe Galland bumps the ball to senior team captain Elsa Snipes. (Willy Finley)

Starting the game, the Falcons and Trojans duked it out in a back-and-forth battle. The Falcons felt the nerves early on as the Homecoming crowd roared throughout the gym. Once the Falcons settled in, they went on a 10-4 run, eventually winning the set 25-20. 

“We really focused on our serve and serve receive because last game, those were our biggest letdowns. So we persevered and worked together as a team to get through it,” said senior libero Phoebe Galland.

The Falcons still seemed to struggle to get into a real groove in the beginning of the second set, with the Trojans taking an early 10-7 lead. However, senior captain Elsa Snipes took control of the set for the Falcons, who won 25-17.

Junior Reese Fraser jumps up to tip the ball over the net. (Willy Finley)

“Elsa had some pretty major putaways, [which] really changed the whole energy for us,” girls varsity volleyball coach Lisa Hudson said.

Looking for a clean sweep and an early finish, the Falcons jumped out the gate to a 10-4 lead in the third set. However, the Trojans crept back into the set. To finish off the match, the Falcons focused on improving their offensive showing, ultimately taking the final set 26-24. “We made some unforced errors in the last two sets that made the game a lot tighter than it needed to be. The errors went back to our passing and serving,” Hudson said.

Elsa and junior Reese Fraser soared the highest among their Falcon teammates. Elsa added on to her already impressive season with 21 kills and nine digs, while Reese ended the match with 18 assists and 10 kills.  

“Definitely having those big kills by Elsa Snipes and Reese Fraser were key turning points that allowed us to put this one away,” Phoebe said. “All this win means for us is that we are in first place and need to win next week against San Marino.”

The Falcons will play next in Novato at San Marin High School Wednesday, Oct. 12, eager to improve their record ahead of the MCAL playoffs.