From left to right: Gracie Glass, Izzy-Ortega Davidson, Avalei Seanoa, Kaitlyn Yagerlener, Gaby Barragan, Allie Trask, Head Coach Jillian Rifkin, Aubrey Spallone, Assistant Coach Jacob Lee, Vanessa Castillo, Jamie Kibin, Lucca Miller, Frosh/soph Coach Annie Flati, Vanessa Ochoa, and Sarahi Gama Gomez.
On October 5th at Estancia High School, the Costa Mesa Girls Varsity Volleyball team swept our rivals, Estancia, with only three sets, keeping their hold on the bell once again!
Our Lady Mustangs started off strong with a first set, 25-21, and swept Estancia in the second set with 25-14 and third set with 25-21.
I asked some seniors on the varsity team how they felt before and after the game and how it felt to ring the bell this year.
Senior Vanessa Ochoa commented, “Before the game, I was so pumped and I just wanted to play. After the game, I was so hyped up! And I had the biggest smile on my face because I was so proud of the team and myself.”
Ringing the bell is different for everyone, and for Vanessa Ochoa, she felt accomplished and was overall happy with her team working together. This is Vanessa’s second year ringing the bell. She is a player whose attitude is always positive and keeps up the energy on and off the court.
Senior Jamie Kibin was also pumped and felt very confident before and after the game, and was obviously very happy for ringing the bell a second time but now as a senior. Jamie Kibin ended the second set with successive aces.
Jamie Kibin said, “As a senior, I was looking forward to an intense rivalry game, but to me, it just felt like another normal league game. But at the end of the day, we were able to keep the bell, and I’m so proud of my team for all the hard work we’ve put in!”
Even though Jamie was a little disappointed with how the game turned out, she still looked on the bright side and stayed positive.
This is also her second year ringing the bell, and this year she felt satisfied and happy that she got to ring the bell for the very last time.
Senior Vanessa Castillo was hyped and excited to play her last BOTB game, but like Jamie Kibin, Vanessa Castillo was disappointed in the turn-out and a little sad because it was her last time playing against Estancia.
This was also Vanessa Castillo’s second time ringing the bell, but this year she had mixed emotions on the ringing the bell. Vanessa Castillo said, “Usually I would feel very happy and accomplished while ringing the bell, but this year there wasn’t much of a fight, so ringing it didn’t feel as special.”
Many of the girls felt so accomplished and happy to bring the bell home to Costa Mesa once again. This is Gracie Glass, Allie Trask, Gaby Barragan, Avalei Seanoa, Lucca Miller, and Sarahi Gama Gomez’s first Battle of the Bell and first time ringing the bell!
