Central Kitsap High School’s varsity and junior varsity volleyball went head to head with Peninsula on September 14, 2023. The CK junior varsity team lost 3-0 while the CK varsity faced a loss with a score of 3-1.
Throughout the varsity game, #10 Sydney Lingenbrink took advantage of her height and succeeded in blocking five shots from the opposing team while #01 Jhazel Tirador utilized her speed and reflexes to receive nine serves, giving her team the opportunity to score.
“The team’s strengths for this game are definitely serving and hitting,” said Coach Rebecca Arthur. “One of our players is a strong hitter, so I am excited to see her play today.”
Head coach Katie Pasi also finds great strength in the team’s defensive skills. “My goal for this game is to stay within five points of the opposing team,” she reflected.
The junior varsity game started at 7:15 p.m. with the best of five games lasting for about an hour. Peninsula started strong, but CK was able to bring it back to a tie by the second game. However, CK was not able to bring home the win at the end of the match.
During the second game of the three, CK neared a victory with a score of 25-24. To win the match, one team needs to have 25 points or more and be two points ahead of their opponents. CK needed only one more point to win game two.
However, this second game saw a controversial referee decision that impacted the game’s final outcome. The ball was set to #06 Hanna Taylor, spiking the ball down to the floor of the opposing team.
Initially, the line judge calls it in, so it is believed that CK has won the game, the crowd and team roaring with excitement.
However, the referee calls that the ball was out. Because of the dispute, the point is taken off the scoreboard, giving Peninsula the chance to come back from the deficit for the win.
“There’s a line judge for a reason,” said #07 May-Lin Zhang. “If the line judge says it’s in, it’s in.”
Other team members agree with Zhang about the call that was made.
Taylor scored an ace and more with eight kills on the opposing team. Though Taylor wouldn’t call herself a heavy hitter, her teammates would be quick to disagree. Zhang is given the name of ‘guardian angel,’ sprinting across the court and saving the ball from falling on the floor seven times, three of those times saving the ball from going out of bounds.
The varsity team took seats in the crowd, cheering and chanting for their younger teammates throughout the match, easily the loudest in the room. Their attitudes on the games were deeply passionate and their love for their sport was very apparent.
