After a semifinal loss in the CIF Division 2 playoffs, Coronado girls varsity volleyball head coach Adeile Ahmu referred to this past season as her best yet since taking over the program in 2019.
The 4-1 semifinal loss against University City High School on Nov. 6 came after a strong start in the playoff series with two landslide wins.
After dominating their regular season with a 35-3 record and placing first in the Eastern CIF league, the Islanders hit the ground running in their first playoff game against Classical Academy High School on Oct. 30.
“We came into it pretty confident in ourselves, but we were humble enough to recognize that this was a team that if they got the momentum, they could beat us,” said senior co-captain Sadie Proctor.
Islanders sweep first two playoff matches
The CHS girls kept Classical from achieving that momentum, winning each set with a score of 25-15, 25-12 and 25-10.
The match against Classical was followed by another 3-0 win for the Islanders as they faced up against Patrick Henry High School on Nov. 2 for the quarterfinals.
“We knew we wanted to advance and we were not going to let Patrick Henry have any hope by keeping our lead with each ball,” said Ahmu. “If they did get a point up against us, we were quick to get the ball back with a sideout.”
By capitalizing on their opponent’s defensive weaknesses and preventing them from running a smooth offense through aggressive plays at the net, they won each set with a score of 25-15, 25-19 and 25-11.
3-1 loss against University City High School
The Islanders’ 25-game-winning-streak came to an end on Nov. 6 when they faced up against University City High School for the semifinals.
“We just kind of had a bad day, and it’s unfortunate that it happened on the day of the playoffs,” said Proctor.
The Islanders lost 4-1, falling short in the first two sets with a score of 23-25, 21-25, winning the third set 25-12 and sealing the loss in the fourth set with a score of 21-25.
Ahmu chalks the loss up to game day nerves.
“The energy from the crowd was great, but our energy wasn’t matching theirs,” said Ahmu. “It wasn’t the poised and fluid team that we’ve seen all season, but a bit more of a frantic shift as the stakes were higher. I think the girls definitely played under some pressure and it showed in areas where we are normally strong in.”
An end to a successful season
Despite this, Ahmu said she is proud of the effort the girls put in and the dedication they demonstrated throughout the entire season.
“I’m extremely proud of these 12 athletes and wouldn’t wish anything different,” said Ahmu. “The overall season was magical to say the least. These girls showed up every day for 3 months with two goals in sight: Win league and win the D2 championship.”
Proctor stepped away from the semifinal loss with a “bittersweet” feeling; a mixture of pride in a successful season and disappointment in falling short of their championship goal.
“I just think this season shows the importance of determination,” said Proctor. “Our team wasn’t expecting to be anything at the beginning of the year and we just came out as this big powerhouse and nobody expected it. I think that was largely because of how hard the girls on the team worked and how closely bonded as a team we were.”
