The Illinois Valley High School varsity volleyball team faced off against the Bandon Tigers Sept. 27, bringing an abundance of energy and teamwork to the court. Athletic Director Erica Butler was the girls’ substitute coach, as their regular coach David Valenzuela was out sick. Although the team did their best over the course of the first round, with the girls working in tandem toward the common goal of besting their opponents, their first loss of 25-16 set the tone for the rest of the match.
The second and third rounds were well-paced, but the Tigers continuously got the upper hand on the Cougars. The second round ended in a resounding loss of 25-10, and though they fought valiantly to regain control during the third round, it became the final round as they lost by seven points, for a final score of 25-18.
The Lady Cougars home game against the Waldport Irish, which took place two days later Sept. 29, was a chance at redemption. Erica Butler once again stood in for Coach Valenzuela, offering the team plenty of support and encouragement throughout the duration of the game. The Cougars were quick, working fluidly together as a unit during the first round and getting the upper hand on Waldport with a score of 25-22. Despite their best efforts, round 2 ended with Waldport taking the lead with a score of 25-17.
The third round was fast-paced and cutthroat, and the Cougars’ passion shone through in their combined efforts. Toward the end of the round, things were neck-and-neck, and the girls ended up assisting one of their own after she slipped and injured herself in her haste on the court. Though the camaraderie was surely there, the home team was once again defeated by two points with a score of 26-24. Though the girls gave the fourth round all of the energy that they could muster, the game ended in a defeat of 25-14.
After the game, substitute coach Butler reiterated that she was “incredibly proud” of the team for their teamwork and for making noticeable improvements from the way that they had played in their previous match.