On September 22, 2023, the BISV Bobcats girls’ volleyball team swept the Luis Valdez Lions for their homecoming performance. The game was controlled by the Bobcats the whole time as they were able to gain an early lead and the points only went up from there. Bobcat fans of all grades showed up to cheer on the team, giving their fervent support for a decisive Bobcat victory.
The game was a best of 5 sets, which is the length of a varsity volleyball game; the first team to score 25 points wins a set. The first team to secure 3 sets wins the game!
This was the first game for many eager BISV fans, many of whom have not been to a volleyball game. As a result, the coach, Ms. Miller, had to ask the students to stop cheering so that the players could concentrate on their serves. However, it turned out, there was no need to fear, as our Bobcats fought hard and rounded out the first set with a blowout, nearly scoring double the points of the Lions, 25-12.
The Bobcats only won by a larger and larger margin from there, going 25-7 and then 25-5, completely dominating Luis Valdez in a game that only lasted less than an hour. As BISV students shouted support from every bleacher, the team outperformed themselves and overwhelmed Luis Valdez.
During the second and the third sets, young Bobcat fans found a powerful response to the Lions’ cheer. Middle schoolers, who had been avidly watching from the sideline, began to notice that the Lions would cheer “Let’s go Lions, let’s go” whenever they gained possession of the ball. During the second half of the second set, as BISV began to take a commanding 18-5 lead, some middle schoolers began to enthusiastically shout back “Let’s go Bobcats, let’s go!” whenever the Lions cheered to gain morale. The middle school students drowned out the team for a brief second as everyone cheered louder than before.
The final set was a rout the likes of which I have never seen before. The game opened with the Bobcats winning possession of the ball on the first play. Tiya Singh (12) then served 18 straight points, each one counting more than the last, and each one bringing a louder and louder cheer. The Lions were unable to recover from such a dominant lead, and the Bobcats were soon in position to seize the game.
Although the crowd was excited to see the game finisher, at the game point, the Bobcats decided to win with style. Co-captain Ariana Conner (12) executed a power serve to thundering applause from the crowd. To complement the fantastic serve, the point was swiftly ended by an incredible tip of the ball
I managed to persuade my friends to stand for the win, and we, along with the players and everyone who watched the game, left in good spirits. The game ended so quickly, I was able to be picked up in just an hour. The short, exciting event left the whole school proud of our team. Ms. Miller, however, said, “We still have a lot of work to do” after the game, hinting at a much stronger volleyball team in the future.
According to MaxPreps.com, our girls’ volleyball team is officially higher ranked in California than Luis Valdez now, with the Bobcats rapidly rising in the state rankings. Go Bobcats and never stop achieving!
Sources:
“Roster – Basis Independent Silicon Valley Bobcats (San Jose, CA) Varsity Volleyball
23-24.” Www.maxpreps.com, www.maxpreps.com/ca/san-jose/basis-independent-silicon-valley-bobcats/volleyball/roster/. Accessed 18 Nov. 2023.
