Months of practice, preparation and waiting built up to an emotional moment before the first serve in Wednesday’s Clovis West-Buchanan girls’ volleyball match.
Both schools’ crowds whistled and cheered, the players smiled and high-fived each other and finally, there was volleyball to be played.
“There was joy,” said Buchanan head coach Chantal White. “This has been a humbling experience where everybody’s ego and pride is set aside. Both sides feel very blessed and grateful for the opportunity to even put on our school jerseys.”
The match was predetermined to go four sets, no more or less, regardless of who won the first three sets. For both coaches, the results came secondary to allowing their players a chance to compete after 16 months off the volleyball court.
“To win or lose doesn’t matter,” said Clovis West head coach Rhonda DeRuiter. “It was about getting out here and letting the girls play. For some of these girls, it’s about getting some film to send to colleges. It’s about so many things on so many levels.”
A victory came as the cherry on top for Clovis West, who defeated Buchanan in four sets, 25-23, 25-13, 17-25 and 25-17. The win came in Clovis West’s only home match in the spring; they play at Buchanan Thursday — and then that’s a wrap for their season. The CIF Central Section’s last contest date for girls’ volleyball is March 20.
Two matches.
But Clovis West senior Momo Hebert planned on making those two matches worthwhile.
“We really want to go out there and have high intensity for both games, so we can have as much fun as possible,” Hebert said.
Both teams played excited and energetic in the first set. There were errors followed by smiles. Every point kicked off a hearty celebration. Even parents held off on griping about calls to the officials, recognizing that was a privilege they didn’t have for more than a year.
For the parents and coaches, the spotlight was solely on the players.
“For me, it was about trying to do everything I possibly could to make it perfect for them,” DeReuiter said. “That was what I was more worried about than the match.”
The first set went back and forth, with Buchanan holding a 17-15 lead before Hebert sparked a comeback for Clovis West.
Hebert recorded a kill to cut Buchanan’s lead to 17-16. That led to a service run where she scored two aces that extended the Golden Eagles’ lead to 19-17.
“In those situations, I just want to come through for my team,” Hebert said. “I really push and strive so we can get out of those tough situations and come back and take the lead.”
Clovis West grew its lead to 22-18, prompting White to call a timeout and regroup the Bears.
It worked. Buchanan went on a service run of their own to close the gap to 22-21. Clovis West senior Alex Wright stuffed a spike from the Bears, stopping the run and giving West a 23-21 advantage.
Clovis West missed on its first set point when Hebert’s spike went too long.
The senior outside hitter recorded the set-clinching kill on the next play as the Golden Eagles won, 25-23.
Clovis West jumped ahead 10-4 to start the second set. Buchanan made a diving save and scored on a long rally to cut its deficit to 10-5.
The Bears never got closer. Clovis West responded with an 11-1 run and took control of the set.
Clovis West was powerful at the service line and net, scoring a plethora of aces and kills to win the second set handily, 25-13.
The Golden Eagles’ aggressive net play served a reminder that this was a Division-I Central Section champion a season ago.
“Our players are just seasoned athletes,” DeRuiter said. “They have spent so much time dedicated to volleyball. They have spent so many hours in the gym from the time they were 8, 9 or 10 years old. They’re trying to cram a season into two matches and that’s what it looked like.”
Clovis West opened the third set with another 10-4 lead, but Buchanan went on an 9-0 service run to grab its first lead since the first set, 13-10.
Buchanan kept more rallies alive in the third set, defended spikes better and became more aggressive offensively at the net. It led to a third-set victory for the Bears, 25-17.
“Everything comes down to serve and pass,” White said. “Matchups helped us a little bit in the third set. Our goal was to get everybody in. Both sides probably didn’t play their strongest lineup every single game. We’re just trying to give the girls who have been training for literally over a year some court time.”
Clovis West secured the match with a 25-17 win in the fourth and final set, but as DeRuiter said, the Golden Eagles will take more away from their shortened 2020-21 season than winning a match.
“They’ll take away what they take from sports in general,” DeRuiter said. “Being with their friends, competing as a group and working together for a common goal. This is all part of them becoming amazing young women in the future.”