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Mountain View senior setter Aina Koga, one of four co-captains for the Spartans girls volleyball team, said the team only has one goal.
“We want to keep working hard to get better every day and have fun doing it,” she said Wednesday after Mountain View rallied past visiting Castilleja 25-21, 20-25, 25-16, 25-23 in a nonleague match. “We all want to play our hearts out.”
The Spartans needed something extra when Castilleja came to town with one of its better teams, and the best current coach Jacqueline Heler has fielded.
“We have four seniors right now and three of them have played together since the sixth grade,” Heler said. “They can basically coach themselves. There’s leadership there.”
Mountain View (2-0) found itself in a battle in three of the four sets, each of which could have gone either way. The Spartans were able to win the big points down the stretch.
“It was our first big test and I’m happy with the way we passed it,” Mountain View coach Dave Winn said. “We showed fortitude in finding a way to win.”
Castilleja (4-2) fought back from an early 7-1 deficit in the fourth set and took a 19-16 edge before the Spartans dug deep and responded with key plays from junior middle Millie Kopp, junior opposite Cambria Cook and junior outside Tessa Hunter.
Senior opposite Fiona Huang fired a drive down the line to put the Spartans at match point and senior Anya Kesselring dove for a dig that saved the winning point.
Junior specialist Lydia Weeks contributed solid serving and junior setter Andisheh Turner handled the offense.
Castilleja seniors Jordan Amos-Grosser, Hadley Nunn and Eveliena Pasmooij are returning WBAL first team all-league players who have taken ownership of the team. Riley Carolan is the fourth senior.
Freshman Claire Sun is a dynamic player who seems to be all over the court. She recorded 10 kills, 12 assists and a service ace for the Gators on Wednesday.
“They have some pieces,” Winn said. “I think they’ll make a splash in Division V.”
Amos-Grosser added five kills and four aces while junior Miraya Rehman added five kills and three aces for Castilleja, which hosts Sacred Heart Prep (6-1) at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.
Mountain View welcomes The King’s Academy at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
Girls golf
Menlo School earned a West Bay Athletic League-opening win, topping visiting Notre Dame San Jose 272-312 at Baylands Golf Links on Wednesday.
Joelle Kim shot a 37 to win medalist honors. Fellow sophomore Chloe Lee had a 45 and junior Sydney Fish a 52. Freshman Alexa Muchnick finished with a 68 while freshman Rhea Nandal carded a 70 and junior Taara Banerjee a 73.
Saint Francis beat Presentation 185-213 in a WCAL match at Las Lagos Country Club.
