Not many teams would be sad to see a 7-20 season come to an
end.
Gilroy – Not many teams would be sad to see a 7-20 season come to an end.
But for the six seniors on the Gilroy girls’ volleyball team that played in their final home game Tuesday night, the season hasn’t been as much about their record as it has been about the experience of playing together.
“It’s really sad because I met most of these girls through volleyball,” said senior middle Isabelle Szucs after the Mustangs lost 25-7, 25-22, 25-16 to third-place Salinas on Senior Night. “We really have a team bond.”
Szucs contributed four kills, second to junior outside Kayla Meazell’s six kills. Seniors Sara Griffis and Jessica Groppe each had three kills and senior libero Brianna Balanesi had four digs. Senior Alexandra Jenney also contributed.
“I’m going to miss all of them,” said junior setter Jennifer Smith, who had eight assists. “It’s not going to be the same.
In the first game, Gilroy head coach Sue Grogan started all six seniors – including injured setter Katherine Hussey – so they could be on the floor together for one last time.
“It was kind of sad to see everyone on the court,” Szucs said.
Hussey, who has been hobbling around with a right ankle injury, got to serve before being taken out. She got the serve in, and Gilroy (3-8 in TCAL) even scored a point off it.
“I was like, ‘Oh my God, I have not served for weeks,'” Hussey said.
Grogan laid some of the blame of the loss on nerves.
“I know a lot of the seniors were nervous about playing today because it’s the last home game,” Grogan said.
The team will try to end its season with a win Thursday at Sobrato 6:30pm.
Grogan called this season, her first as head coach, a “tough” one.
“I think for all of us, we were trying to figure each other out,” she said. “That’s really been more than I had expected it to be.”
