Vikings’ Varsity Coming Home

Oakmont’s Girls Volleyball played their first home game against Vista del Lago.

Sophia Earnest, Features Editor

On August 24, the Oakmont’s Varsity Girls Volleyball team played their second game of the season against Vista del Lago on Viking territory.

Varsity followed the Oakmont’s Junior Varsity team, after their discouraging loss, with high hopes to take down Vista del Lago. 

“They were really good competition,” sophomore Erin Hyman said. “They kept us on our toes and kept us motivated to keep pushing.”

Although Oakmont’s Vikings came out strong, Vista took the victory, winning the first three out of five sets in the varsity match.

Even after the girls’ unfortunate loss, they were still positive and proud of how they played out on the court that evening. 

 “I think we did pretty good, we held our own,” junior Taylor Schell said. 

All of the players can agree that they’re still getting used to each other and the team’s dynamic.

“I think we’re a pretty young team, and a lot of us haven’t played together before, so it’s a bit hard,”  senior Ella Pock said.

After all, they only started practicing August 2, so they have had a little over two weeks to get adjusted to one another. 

Along with a new team, the girls are also having to adjust to a new coach.

“He has a different way of coaching than what we’re used to,” senior Daniela Hirsch said. ”But I like him.”

Coach Taylor started coaching here at Oakmont last year during the pandemic, but he views this year to be his first real year here. 

Taylor himself agrees that everyone still needs to adjust to one another and learn their dynamic as a team. 

“As a varsity team with all four age groups, we’ve just got to work on our chemistry a bit, but that takes time,” Taylor said.

With a range of Freshmen to Seniors on a singular team, it’s clear why some adjusting would need to be done. 

All the girls played amazingly individually, like how Hirsch and Pock dominated the court from the air with a spectacular series of hits, blocks, and serves.

Yet, it is evident where the girls slip through the cracks that cohesiveness is needed. 

All in all, the girls played a striking game on the court last night, and Oakmont is excited to see where they’ll go this season. 

“We’re just happy to be playing this season,” Taylor said.