- Golden Valley remains undefeated in league play at 3-0.
- The Falcons are still searching for their first league win at 0-3.
Set 1
Golden Valley set the tone immediately behind senior setter Marc Her, who opened the match serving. An early Atwater miscue gave the Cougars the first point, and that momentum only grew. Senior middle Joshua Chao and sophomore Jake Green quickly got involved offensively, helping Golden Valley jump out to a strong lead with a six-point run. Atwater struggled to find consistency early, particularly with communication, which led to extended Golden Valley runs. The Falcons managed their first point off a serve from junior Jonathan Quinn, but rallies continued to favor the Cougars. A long rally ending in a Golden Valley point pushed the score further out of reach. Golden Valley’s team chemistry and control remained dominant throughout the set. A late kill from Chao helped close things out as Golden Valley took set one with a score of 25-9.
Set 2
Atwater opened the second set serving, but Golden Valley quickly regained control. Jake Green made an immediate impact with a kill, followed by a block that extended the lead. He continued to be a key offensive presence, adding multiple kills alongside contributions from Chao and junior Richard Saechao. Freshman James Horrocks contributed with a tip that earned a point as the Falcons briefly found energy with a small serving run, including an ace. However, that momentum was short-lived, as a service error ended the streak. Golden Valley responded with another scoring run, extending the lead to 22-9. The Cougars continued to capitalize on Atwater mistakes while maintaining pressure. A final kill from junior Richard Saechao sealed the second set at 25-14.
Set 3
The third set opened with Marc Her again putting the ball in play, but Atwater showed improved energy early. Junior Fabian Mena helped generate points from the service line, and the Falcons briefly built momentum. Golden Valley responded quickly, with Green adding another kill and maintaining the Cougars’ offensive consistency. Atwater continued to struggle with communication issues, allowing Golden Valley to extend their lead. Senior Chai Her recorded a key dig to keep a play alive, leading to another Cougar point. Atwater showed a late push but it wasn’t enough to close the gap. Golden Valley maintained control for the remainder of the game. A final kill from Marc Her closed out the set 25-12, finishing the match. With the overall score reading 3-0.
Golden Valley captain Marc Her reflected on the match as a chance to reset after a recent tournament where the team went 2-2. “We just came off a tournament last weekend and our mindset wasn’t in the right spot.” That focus carried into how the Cougars played. “We were really trying to throw them out of system with our serves, and also just make sure our passing was good,” he said. While the result was strong, Her pointed out areas to improve moving forward. “In close games, we tend to make simple mistakes,” he said. “If we can eliminate those and really click, we’ll be 100%.”The Cougars looked strong in this matchup, and Her says the team has big ambitions about what they can do this season. “We want to put numbers up on our banner […] we want to have our year up there so future generations can remember us,” Her said, referring to the banners hanging high in the school gym.
With the win, Golden Valley improves its league record to 3-0 and continues to build momentum early in the season, while Atwater falls to 0-3 in league play. The Falcons will look to get back on track when they host the Los Banos Tigers on Thursday, March 26 at 5:00 p.m. Golden Valley will face Buhach Colony at home later that same day at 6:00 p.m.
- Photos by Grace Gallegos ↩︎
