By Jessica Staub

Excited (Chris Dietrich)
By Jessica Staub
Finishing sixth in the league and knowing that this is the last season that Suzie Witmer will be coaching at Riverside, the volleyball team has had a season full of ups and downs.
On Nov. 11, the team took on Irvine Valley, which is ranked second in the league. The women fought five tough games.
Irvine served first but was struck down hard with a kill by Sky Williams. Williams was also responsible for the first four of five points.
The coaches were pulling players out and putting players in constantly. They were playing a very tough game and made sure to utilize every player to her full potential.
The women had played their positions well, and by the first timeout, Riverside lead 15-12. By the second timeout, the women continued a tight defense and increased their lead to 22-15.
After some great offence by Williams, Erin Araujo, and Kim Zumbro, the team won the first game 30-18.
The second game was a very different story. Seven of the first 10 points were scored by Irvine. Though 2 aces (a serve that scores without the receiving team returning the ball over the net) by Williams and Zumbro, the score was tied 9-9. Unfortunately in the end, Riverside lost 25-30.
A combination of good offense and defense kept the third game rolling. The game was full of good rallies and players. Both Williams and Katie Connelly served aces and Araujo sealed Riverside’s victory with the final score 28-30.
The forth game was powered by strong offensive plays by Williams, Araujo, and Reanna Conenna, and Riverside kept the ball moving with Connelly and Zumbro.
At one point, Irvine had an eight point lead, and it stayed that way. Riverside lost 22-30.
By thenboth teams were visibly tired, but unwilling to give in and lose this final crucial game. Sara Baker, who is a defensive player, made some awesome offensive moves. By the first timeout the score was Irvine leading 12-10.
In the end, Irvine pulled through with a 15-13 victory.
The match on Nov. 11 against Fullerton ran much more smoothly.
They won the first and second games 30-11 and 30-25 respectively. But in the third game, the team fell to Fullerton. Zumbro was a little nervous about her team’s performance in that game.
“We did well, but got a little shaky during the third game,” Zumbro said. “But, we held it together.”
Zumbro was aggressive offensively and defensively in all four games. In the season overall she averaged 3.42 digs (defensive saves) and had 94 kills (offensive points) overall.
“I’m very proud of everyone,” Zumbro said. “We played hard. We had our ups and downs during the season, but we pulled it together and finished strong.”
In all four games, Connelly made sure that the team stayed in the game with a bunch of saves and had 304 digs this season.
But, what won the match overall was the aggressive hitting by Williams and Obermeyer. Together they heped the team win the final game 30-25.
Williams and Obermeyer, together, had 444 kills this season.Reanna Conenna, one of the two sophomores on the team was satisfied with the season.
“We all worked really hard,” Conenna said. “We still made great bonds and friendships. It was an overall good season. Even though we had some rough times, it all worked out.”
Coach Suzie Witmer is happy with the team’s victory on Nov. 11, but not completely satisfied with the season overall.”We played as a team,” Witmer said. “We just waited too long to pick it up.”
Overall, the team played well. The top hitter this season was Araujo with 258 kills, and the top defender was Obermeyer with 334 digs.