On Friday, September 18th, Malden faced their fourth match of the season, holding a 2-1 record. After having a clean sweep against the Chelsea Red Devils, Malden entered the gym that day with newfound confidence, but not without humility.
Facing the Cambridge Rindge & Latin Falcons, they sat at a 3-1 record. The Falcons in particular are a tough opponent for the girls, with junior Setter (S) Jamilah Simbul mentioning how “games against them have always been a challenge for the team.”
Right after school, junior varsity and varsity players headed down to the gym, dividing their hours before the game to warm up and practice their techniques; they had several nets set up and volleyballs soaring through the gym.
Cambridge eventually arrived at 5:00, and with both teams on the court warming up, tension was in the air, and it would only continue to rise from there.
With the JV’s game starting and ending in favor of Cambridge at 2-1, high standards were expected from the varsity team to take back the court.
With both teams taking the court, the first set began with great fire from the Falcons. As the scores clashed with one another, Cambridge took the lead, with Malden keeping a close follow as both teams raced to 25. Eventually, Cambridge would win the first match 25-20, but Malden was not far behind.
Senior setter Ly Nguyen expressed how, despite their loss, “the first set of the game was great,” highlighting how “everyone played as much as they could,” which heightened the spirits and morale of the team.
Nguyen’s statement was proven as the second set began; Malden turned the tide around. Coming back from the first set, the second set finished even closer, this time ending at 25-21, with Malden winning the second set.
“Considering that Cambridge is a really good team. We now know that we are capable of playing at their same level,” junior Defense Specialist (DS) Meybelin Guadron explained.
The Tornados and Falcons were tied 1-1, and stress was at an all-time high for players from opposing teams.
As the third set began, Malden’s defense began wavering. “Some of our teammates were sick and unable to play; we had to make changes on the spot,” said Junior Captain and Middle Blocker Hadassa Pierre-Rene. The set would end with a significant gap–with the Falcons taking 25 points, as the Tornados were left at 13.
Despite their previous match, hope was not lost for Malden. The game could go one of two ways: either Malden ties up the score, or Cambridge wins the next set, and ultimately, the game.
“Cambridge is a big game since we are only able to play them once each year instead of twice,” said Rene, who continued: “I knew that it was not going to be an easy game.”
Malden, with hopes of coming back from their last set, persisted in their efforts, playing defensively as much as possible while balancing offensive strikes from Cambridge. Despite their attempts, Cambridge ended up winning the game, ending the fourth set 25-16.
However, not all was lost for the team. Many players agreed that this loss would not define their season and was more of a learning opportunity for everyone.
They highlighted better communication amongst one another, reducing anxiety while giving everyone further affirmations, and supporting each other in learning new skills and positions.
“The team will continue to fight to show that this loss doesn’t mean anything. We will continue to fight for more victories for the rest of the season,” Nguyen concluded.
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