The beach volleyball team won both matches in a doubleheader on Friday, defeating the College of Siskiyous Eagles 3-2 and sweeping the Shasta College Knights 5-0.
These were the first two matches of the team’s season this year.
After winning the first set against the Eagles, the Hawks fell behind 3-9 in the second but were able to mount a comeback and finish the third with a win 21-19.
Freshman Clara Belnap said that communicating more effectively with her teammate, freshman Jadyn Hoffman, was a turning point in the game.
“I think as we went on a couple runs here and there, I felt like we talked to each other more, and our confidence went up and that’s when the momentum shifted and we locked back in,” Belnap said.
Assistant coach TJ Corgait said these wins helped build confidence within the team.
“We know what we are capable of now,” Corgait said. “We just have to keep building from there.”
Corgait said the team responded well to challenges they faced throughout the game.
“They handled adversity really well,” Corgait said. “During the matches, where things got challenging, they pushed back and found ways to come back and win.”
Head coach Kari Nahlen said she saw the players improve as the games progressed.
“I think that they have just gotten better and their communication is only going to get better, ” Nahlen said.
Freshman Jasmine Megwa said communicating effectively with her partner, freshman Haley Sanchez, on the court is important to help build chemistry between them, which they can build on as the season progresses.
“Communication. Just communicating what you guys need and want for each other,” Megwa said. “We both want the same thing – to win, so being able to talk about how to do that is key.”
Megwa said this is her first year playing beach volleyball and that getting acclimated to the differences between indoor and beach volleyball has been an adjustment for her.
“It’s a lot harder to move, and be able to read where the hitters are going,” Megwa said. “And if you can’t read that quite right, it might cost you a point.”
Nahlen said she is proud of how the team has been practicing and how they have played so far this season.
“We have some girls really working hard, and we have some great wins as a team,” Nahlen said.
The Hawks’ next home game will be a doubleheader on Wednesday against Fresno City College at 10:30 a.m. and Hartnell College at 12:30 p.m.
Staff writer Allison Chan contributed to this story.