John Busker is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Bourgade Catholic High School for AZPreps365.com.

PHOENIX - Three of the most common terms associated with volleyball are bump set, and spike.  However, against Chino Valley on Thursday the big three words for Bourgade Catholic were more along the lines of bump, set...ceiling?

The Golden Eagles (1-11) won the first of four sets against Chino Valley (6-6) 25-20 before dropping the next three sets 25-10, 25-20, and 25-15 respectively, with the ceiling playing a big role in each set. The ball hit the gym’s ceiling many times throughout the match, throwing off the momentum of either team playing the ball. Although the ceiling was the same height for both squads, the Cougars adjusted better throughout to the momentum-stopping roof.

The ceiling was not the only reason Bourgade Catholic lost. Great play in the front row for Chino Valley as well as mistakes in returning the ball were ultimately what led to the Golden Eagles' defeat.

“We’ve just got to stick together,” Golden Eagles coach Raeleen Naki-Bajet said. “We cannot win or lose anything without each other. It’s the camaraderie, it’s the cohesiveness, it’s the bond to battle. That’s what we need.”

The Golden Eagles built a 19-9 lead in the first set thanks to excellent serving from Alyssa Diaz. Chino Valley would claw its way back into the set, cutting the deficit to 21-18. The Golden Eagles pulled away, though, with the ceiling abetting on a key point: a Bourgade pass bounced off it and fell onto the Cougars side of the court. 

Senior Julianna Castillo serves the ball to the awaiting Chino Valley players (John Busker/AZPreps365)

Set two was almost the exact opposite. A few long stints serving, including nine serves in a row from Chino Valley sophomore outside hitter Makaya Moody, gave the Cougars an 18-7 cushion. The difference between sets one and two? The trailing team failed to stage a comeback. The Cougars won the second set by 15 points, 25-10.

While the crowd was quiet in the early stages of the match, the sidelines for both teams were not. The junior varsity and freshman team players for both Bourgade Catholic and Chino Valley were loud, leading different chants and cheering on the varsity squads throughout the contest.

“It reminds us why we do what we do,” Bourgade Catholic middle blocker and middle back Emma Henke said. “Obviously they want to see us succeed and they’re excited for us, so it gives us a reason to do good.”

Henke was a bright spot for the Golden Eagles, as she had seven kills, five block solos and twelve block assists when in the front row, leading her team in all those categories. The senior also led the team with 16 digs while in the back row.

Henke opened the scoring for her team in the third set with one of her seven kills in what would be the closest set of the match. Both teams traded points throughout, Chino Valley leading for most of the set but unable to pull away. The Cougars forged ahead 12-9, then 15-11, before a few mistakes on kill attempts allowed the Golden Eagles to tie the set at 15 apiece. The teams would continue to go back and forth before Bourgade’s mistakes got the better of it late. Its failure to return the Chino Valley kills would cost the Golden Eagles the third set, 25-20.

“The biggest thing is knowing there’s more to come,” Henke said. “It’s so much easier to remember a mistake than to remember something good so I’m like, What can I do good next?”

In the fourth set, the crowd came alive. As the football team entered the gym after finishing practice, the Golden Eagles welcomed a whole new set of very loud and very excited supporters to help root them on for the comeback. The crowd and the Chino Valley bench began getting into cheering wars, daring each other to try and be louder than the other, with chants of “We can’t hear you!” from the Bourgade supporters overpowering the chants from the Cougar sideline. 

The crowd would not see the comeback they wanted, however. Chino Valley junior setter Makaila Brooks had eight serves in a row thanks to a couple violations and bad passes from the Golden Eagle players, and of course, the ceiling. This helped the Cougars build a 14-6 lead, and as the teams traded points for most of the rest of the game, Bourgade Catholic could not come back, losing the final set 25-15 and the match 3-1. 

“The biggest thing is a positive attitude,” Henke said, “and keeping yourself composed.”

The Golden Eagles will look to keep their composure and use it to get their second win of the season Tuesday, October 14, at Camp Verde high school.