Girls’ volleyball dives for the CIF Championship
On Saturday, Nov. 9, the NPHS girls’ varsity volleyball team faced Campbell Hall for the 2024 CIF Southern Section Division 4 Championship and unfortunately lost to their opponents by a score of 0-3. Though the team did not get the outcome they hoped for, they are the first NPHS varsity girls’ volleyball team to make it to the CIF finals since 1987.
Even during the high-pressure atmosphere of the CIF final, Hannah Hippley, senior, feels that their high spirits contributed to the team’s effort to win the CIF championship title. Hippley focused on the positive takeaways from this year’s postseason and spoke of everything the team should be proud of. “Our energy and persistence is really strong […] and even though we didn’t win, I look back on the team and how we’ve grown together throughout it,” Hippley said.
Regardless of the team’s loss, Kylie Reimer, senior, also helped the team to play a hard-fought championship match. Reimer felt everyone on the team has played an important part in getting to the final. “Every girl on this team has worked really hard to be here,” Reimer said. Getting to the final was not easy and it took a lot of hard work and dedication from the team. “We have put in a lot of work every day of the week. We go into practice for at least two hours,” Reimer said. The team’s tireless efforts have paid off throughout the season and postseason getting them to the final which has not happened at Newbury Park for almost 37 years.
Despite the loss, NPHS varsity girls’ volleyball head coach Chris Forrest’s leadership and faith in his players were reflected by the teams’ successes in the playoffs. “They fought all the way through, they never gave up […] and the fact that they made it this far, it’s a huge accomplishment,” Forrest said. Forrest said it took “countless hours” of training during this year’s postseason, but the hard work and determination paid off.
Although they lost in the CIF finals, the team recognize their efforts and the history they have made. The team has had so much success this postseason, winning all the games to make it to the final. “It honestly felt really great. I know not winning is hard and it stings a little bit, but to think of how far we’ve come and to make history is still a really good feeling,” Hippely said.
