A Bittersweet Season Finale!
A Bittersweet Season Finale! (11/13/23)
By: Juan H Estrada
Southwestern played their final volleyball match of the season on Monday night, hosting the Comets of Palomar College. The night was celebrated with gift giving from the Lady Jaguars to Volleyball Head Coach Tyler Reeves and Assistant Coach Natalia Tello. The night was as sweet as the candy that was being shared by the players with their coaches.
"We made sure we emphasized having fun!" Said a smiling Reeves, "Practices were always fun, car rides were always hilarious. We had Moises the sports photographer around taking pictures of us all the time, they loved to get their picture taken. It was a lot of fun!"
"They are a special group of ladies. They made us laugh every single practice. It was honestly a pleasure, and it was really fun!" said Tello.
Captain of the Jaguars Cristina Guerrero served the Jags out of a three-point deficit into a three-point lead in the first set. Guerrero collected two consecutive Aces while Yesenia Garcia scored one Ace herself. However, the Jaguars lost the first set.
The second set was a big loss for the Jaguars, being outscored by more than double.
The third set was a lot more competitive. Southwestern found their offense groove and was scoring points again. But Palomar College kept pace with the Jaguars and won by a narrow margin of three, ending the Jaguars season with a loss.
"I'm gonna miss my girls," said Guerrero. "I'm done with volleyball for now. I'm continuing my schooling to be an ultrasound technician. I'll definitely be back next year to support."
Kaitlyn Montero said, "I will return next year! I enjoy cheering and celebrating the wins. Even just scoring points still gets me excited for my team."
"I will be back for sure," said Marley Mazzeo.
Mazzeo said that Reeves taught her, "winning isn't winning the game. Winning, is putting in all the effort, pushing yourself to improve." Guerrero added the wisdom she learned, "to keep pushing, always keep your head up and don't give up."