The scoreboard was almost taunting. The junior varsity volleyball team was nine points down in their second set, and up against Crystal Springs Upland School, an out of league competitor, the odds weren’t looking great. But then, the team’s focus sharpened; players blocked steep spikes, synchronized their passes, and Nueva ended up winning the full game.
“The energy was up,” Tin K. ’27 said. “We were in their home court, they had a lot more spectators, but we were cheering super loud the whole time.”
A few hours later, though the varsity girls team did not win their subsequent match against Crystal, the team secured a win in the second set and emerged electrified.
“In all my years of playing Crystal, I think that’s the first time we’ve ever been so close to beating them,” said varsity co-captain Sakura T. ’26.
That personal record joins a series of victorious games from the varsity team, an incredibly successful season thus far. Varsity co-captain Elie W. ’26 credited the steadfast consistency of the team for their ability to jump back into the new season. With only two teammates having graduated and three new freshmen, the team is familiar with each others’ paces and hits.
“We have a really strong core,” Elie said.
As for the new freshmen, they’ve been folded into the team rather seamlessly. In fact, for Cate G. ’28 in her second year of volleyball, watching the freshmen come into their own on the team has been one of her favorite memories of the season so far.
“At one of our first games, one of the freshmen got a really good kill, and it was just so much fun,” Cate said. “Everybody’s always supporting everyone, and our team camaraderie is really great.”
Part of their strong teamwork comes from intention-setting by both captains and Coach Harley Marques Silva, in the form of team rituals imbued with meaning. Coach Silva always has players put in their left hand for a cheer, because the left hand is closer to the heart. For luck, the team has a simple back-and-forth tap pattern with their feet. And most recently, Sakura and Elie introduced a deep breath before every game, to center themselves and let go of all worries.
Though the junior varsity team has less established rituals, Tin is eager to see the new traditions that will emerge with the season. Already, there’s been hair ribbons, matching pigtails at games, and golfing hangouts.
“It’s just little things like that that bring us closer together,” Tin said.
On varsity, both co-captains share a similar appreciation for these joyful moments. In fact, they hope their legacy is cemented in the excitement created by their traditions and the fun they have together. For Elie, she seeks to emulate the mature compassion she saw in her senior captains as a freshman.
“It was important for me to see captains really looking out for each other and helping people feel comfortable when I was younger,” Elie said. “I want that to be my legacy, one of kindness.”