In a grueling five sets long battle, University High School’s Boys’ Varsity Volleyball fought hard but ultimately fell to Portola on Feb. 28, losing with a final score of 2-3. Despite a strong start, the Trojans struggled to carry their early game momentum to the end, allowing the Bulldogs to rally back and claim the victory.
The Trojans came out hard in the first set, delivering sharp cuts that kept Portola’s defense on edge. Though some attacks landed out of bounds, UHS’s strategic ball placement was the deciding factor in their first-set victory, which they won with a close score of 26-24.
“I think our team did solid for our first league game of this season,” sophomore Brian Nguyen said. “We started off strong in the first couple of sets.”
The Trojans’ momentum carried into the second set as UHS’s setter orchestrated plays and delivered aggressive spikes. Both teams traded points early in the set, with UHS holding a slim lead of 10-9 before Portola surged ahead 15-12. The Trojans responded by evening out the score, ultimately sealing a 25-21 set win, putting themselves in a commanding 2-0 set score position.
However, the match took a turn in the third set as Portola stepped up their game and capitalized on small errors made by UHS. The set remained close in the early stages, but Portola broke ahead with a lead of 19-13 and ended up winning the set 25-16.
“We fell down to their level [in] the last few sets,” Nguyen said. “However, for our first league game, I think we did good.”
The fourth set saw much of the same gameplay as the previous one, with Portola jumping to a lead of 7-4. The Trojans fought back and narrowed the gap to 12-9, but the Bulldogs were relentless and maintained this momentum to take the fourth set 25-19.
With tensions high and both student sections cheering, the final set proved to be a dramatic finish. It was close, but Portola remained slightly ahead. Ultimately, the Bulldogs sealed the set win 15-11.
“There was definitely room for improvement amongst our team,” Nguyen said.
Throughout the game, a few calls from the official generated frustration from the Trojans’. Many, including some coaches, questioned whether the ball landed out of bounds. Potentially resulting in UHS’s disrupted rhythm at crucial points.
The Trojans look to their next game on March 18 against Northwood High.
