After defeating the Vintage Crushers on Thursday, October 20th, our Freshman and JV Girls Volleyball Team celebrated a victory alongside their Varsity Seniors and their Varsity Coach O’Brien, who would later sweep our opponents in three of five sets.
The gym was PACKED with very supportive students and families who came to watch what they thought was the last home game of the season.
However, their creative posters, giant face cutouts of our lovely seniors, and wolfpack spirit only helped to encourage the victory that would later follow. Coach O’ Brien took the initiative to congratulate and acknowledge the three senior Crushers before the start of the game, but soon after, our five Varsity seniors and later two Varsity Volleyball managers entered the court and were each honored by everyone in the gym. Our two Varsity Girls Volleyball managers (from left to right), Enjello Garcia and Yamileth Mendoza are shown above.
Nonetheless, let’s meet our five seniors for this year’s Girls Varsity Volleyball team.
#1, Arianna Pacheco (holding
all of her bouquets) has played for our Varsity Volleyball team since she was a freshman. Thursday Night she illustrated an aggressive offensive AND defensive performance with 15 digs, 10 kills, 1 solo block, and 2 aces. Aside from playing school and club volleyball, she is a notable member of the American Heart Association Club. In addition to quality time with friends and family, she is also a proud small business entrepreneur of both a baking business and a lash extension business. She hopes to attend SFSU or SDSU to study business management, as well as an esthetician school, in hopes to combine her passions for beauty and business. She has not yet decided if she will continue to play volleyball after graduating, but states that the best part of being on the volleyball team is “having the ability to make new friends that are like sisters.”
#3, Tessa Castro (wearing white) has played for our Freshman, JV, and now Varsity Volleyball team throughout her four years at ACHS. She proved a strong defensive force throughout the 3 sets with 5 serve receives and 1 dig. She loves laughing and spending time with friends and family. After high school, she will pursue a degree in business marketing, and hopes to find a job she loves doing and that pays well. She hasn’t yet decided if she will play volleyball in college, but her favorite memory with her team this year was their trip to Chico where she made memorable bonds with her teammates. “I am really going to miss all of the girls once I graduate, but I am very thankful for being blessed with these connections that I’ve made in the program.”
#8, Kennedy Brown (kneeling in the middle) has been a part of the Girls Volleyball program for her entire high school career. For many, playing close to the net is a daunting task, but Kennedy proved its simplicity, racking up 5 kills, 1 dig, and 1 solo block by the end of the night. In addition to her love for volleyball, Kennedy currently holds the school record for long and triple jump on our ACHS Track & Field team. She plans to attend either Jackson State or Texas A&M to one day receive a doctorate degree in Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. She will consider pursuing volleyball if she receives scholarships, but plans to focus more on track and field throughout college. She adds, “The best thing about being on the volleyball team is the new and strong relationships we built amongst each other.”
#12, Giselle Torres (holding all of her bouquets behind her poster) has played on the Girls Varsity Volleyball Team since she first set foot at ACHS. Thursday she proved to be the most flexible and dependable player with an impressive 19 assists, 15 digs, 1 solo block, 1 ace, and 8 kills. She demonstrates her leadership and communication skills in ACHS’s National Honor Society as Secretary and in Medical Club where she serves as Vice President. She loves hanging out with friends, learning new subjects, and overcoming challenges inside school. Outside of school, she spends time with her family and dogs, while also prioritizing self care. She plans to pursue a career as a sports medicine physician assistant, while also participating in intramural volleyball at her chosen university. Giselle has demonstrated tremendous growth throughout her four years on the Varsity Team. She explains, “Embarking on a challenging yet fulfilling journey with people who constantly push you to achieve your best is what helped me to grow tremendously.”
#18, Samantha Cruz (holding the teddy bear and flowers in the middle) has been playing both club and school volleyball in conjunction from her freshman to senior year. By the end of Thursday Night, she proved to be a defensive beast with 5 digs and 4 serve receives. Her favorite classes in school are Business and Man’s Search for Meaning, but outside of school she loves traveling, time with family, and enjoying the beauties of nature. She plans to transfer to Chico State or Menlo College after attending community college to pursue a career in Human Resources and Hospitality. She’s also undecided about continuing volleyball in college, but is more focused on her current season that has now been extended to the Playoffs. Her favorite memory is bonding during the Chico tournament or Senior Night, and states she largely values the chemistry of the team this year and “how close we are and how crazy and funny every day is with them.”
Our five Varsity Girls Volleyball Seniors from left to right:
Top row: Arianna Pacheco, Giselle Torres, and Kennedy Brown
Bottom row: Tessa Castro and Samantha Cruz
(Photo by Kaya Querubin)
On Thursday night, our girls finished the league with a record of 11-1, winning FIRST PLACE in the VVAL(Vine Valley Athletic League) tournament, and securing a spot in the Playoffs. Along with their talent and skill, it is evident that their underlying chemistry was the factor that eventually led them to the top spot and a victory against the Crushers. We are so proud of all of the growth and achievements our girls have demonstrated this season(especially our seniors) and can’t wait to see what else they accomplish in the Playoffs! We love you Wolves!
Comments