After a 7-2 start (7-0 in league competition) which included close losses to St. Ignatius College Prep and Notre Dame, senior and middle blocker Reine Schultz said she credits the team’s success to its thorough preparation prior to matches.

“For games against Los Gatos and Gunn, we approached it the way we would any match,” Schultz said. “We focused on bettering our play during practice and staying put together as a team.”

Senior Alaap Nair, who attended the match against Los Gatos, said the environment was electric as the Vikings swept Los Gatos 3-0. Prior to the match, Los Gatos had a 6-0 league record, tied with Paly for first in league competition.

“I think that every great modern-day rivalry comes from two great teams, so two 6-0 teams in league battling it out is always fun to watch,” Nair said. “I enjoyed watching the game with my friends, and the sweep was great to see.”

Schultz said that while Los Gatos was strong competition, it didn’t really faze the team. 

“During these games, we definitely had a more intense environment and atmosphere than our regular matches,” Schultz said. “We didn’t let this affect us too much because it is just another game to play for a sport we all love.” 

Moving forward, Schultz said this same mindset going into other rivalry games will help propel the team forward through the rest of league play and into CCS.

“With the experience from the Los Gatos and Gunn games, we will continue to take steps in the direction of improvement,” Schultz said. “We will continue to work in that direction as long as our season lasts.”