MSJ Girls Volleyball smashes their way to senior night victory

By Staff Writers Rebecca Dou & Saesha Prabhakar

Cheers rang out throughout the Main Gym as MSJ students gathered to support Varsity Girls Volleyball during their senior night game against Newark Memorial High School. The match began at 8 p.m. on October 22 as the crowd filled the bleachers. 

Before the game, the team held a ceremony to honor their senior players, in which they walked under a balloon arch alongside their family and friends. These players received sashes in recognition of their dedication to the team. Afterwards, MSJ played an intense game, ultimately securing a 3-1 win after four competitive sets. 

At the start of the evening, the Warriors dominated the match, clearly taking the first and second sets by three and five points, respectively. Determined to keep the match alive, Newark Memorial opened the third set aggressively, taking a 0-3 lead and shifting the momentum. The Warriors struggled to regain their footing, trailing behind as their opponents continued their initiative. Despite MSJ’s best efforts to narrow the gap, Newark Memorial ultimately prevailed, forcing the match to continue to the fourth set. “Sometimes we get stuck in a rotation where they just serve and keep winning points from us … thank goodness we were able to come back,” Middle Blocker Sophomore Veronica Kuo said. 

Tensions skyrocketed during the start of the fourth set, with Newark Memorial taking an early lead as they fought to stay in the match. The Warriors retaliated, with Outside Hitter Senior Sunayna Mamidi executing several powerful spikes to tie the score 15-15. Despite crucial saves from Newark Memorial, MSJ’s offense stayed strong, refusing to let the game continue into the fifth set. After a heated back-and-forth between the two teams, MSJ managed to pull through and take the set 25-22, winning the match. “It was cool that we bounced back and took it 3-1, and I think our team did a really good job of composing ourselves,” Setter Senior Ariana Saha said. 

After the Warriors scored the game-winning point, applause erupted throughout the Main Gym as students celebrated the comeback, the win marking the conclusion of the seniors’ final home game. 

Following the match, family and friends rushed to the gym floor to gather around the players, celebrating their performance and commemorating the senior night. “The highlight of this game was when all our friends … ran onto the court after we won. It just really shows how strong of a support system and community feeling that [MSJ] has,” Saha said. 

Students celebrated the seniors with decorated posters featuring inside jokes and silly photos, along with flowers and gifts. The floor quickly opened up to tearful friends and teammates who delivered heartfelt speeches, sharing jokes and stories from the past, creating a bittersweet atmosphere as they conveyed their goodbyes to the five graduating seniors.