By Sophia Luckey
Staff Writer
On Oct. 13, Costa girls volleyball faced its longtime rival, Redondo Union High School, for the final match of the Bay League season. The Mustangs emerged victorious after a four-set match against the Seahawks, ultimately ending the season undefeated in league play.
Both Costa and Redondo fans showed up to support their teams by holding up posters and chanting. Their enthusiasm increased the energy both on and off the court.
“Playing Redondo is always fun because it’s our rival school,” junior outside hitter Chloe Hynes said. “It’s such a big game within the community, and it always has the biggest turnout.”
According to coach Cameron Green, the first set started off with strong defense and offense from both teams. However, the Mustangs were able to pull through and take the first set, 25-19.
“The girls’ goal heading into this match was to stay confident in what they do best and trust their teammates,” Green said. “That’s something we always talk about, and it works for us.”
The second set played out similarly to the first, the only difference being Redondo taking the lead halfway through. The Mustangs, however, were able to come back quickly and beat the Seahawks, 25-19.
“Even when Redondo found a way to take the lead, we never got too behind,” Hynes said. “Compared to our last game against them, we were able to beat them by more this time, which we are all super stoked about.”
According to Hynes, Redondo brought its all in the third set. The Seahawks caught the Mustangs off guard, as they picked up both their offense and defense while Costa was down. The Mustangs fought hard, but ultimately the Seahawks prevailed, winning the third set 26-24.
“It’s not easy to give 100% effort for the entire game,” Hynes said. “Redondo was good and took advantage when we weren’t at our full strength.”
The fourth set was a battle until the very end, according to Green. At the start of the set, Costa held the lead. The opponents then began to win points intermittently. However, Costa was able to regain the lead and ended the set with a score of 25-22.
“The girls were determined,” Green said. “Our overall mindset and our ability to show grit is what brought home the win for us,”
With a record of 10-0 in League, the undefeated Mustangs are now off to the second round of CIF State Playoffs after winning the first against Lakewood, 3-0. According to Green, Costa’s plan is to take it practice by practice and game by game. The overall goal for the Mustangs is clear: win CIF.
“We’re going into CIF ranked number one, and we’re hoping to finish that way,” Hynes said. “We talk about it a lot, and winning seems to be everyone’s goal.”
On Tuesday, the Mustangs will play Palos Verdes High School at home for their next round of CIF Playoffs. According to Hynes, the girls will be in the comfort of their own gym.
“Coming into CIF ranked #1 feels rewarding,” Hynes said. “I know how hard all the girls have worked to get here.”
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