Women’s Volleyball Comes To A Close Win

By Jacob Castillo

In a conference matchup between the Wilbur Wright Rams and the Malcolm X Hawks on Tuesday, Oct. 29, the two teams battled it out for 5 sets. The Hawks came out victorious, beating the Rams for the second time at Wright this season. (27-25, Rams. 19-25, Hawks. 24-26, Hawks. 25-19, Rams. 9-15, Hawks.)

Women’s Volleyball returned to Wright this semester, regardless of the final score or the win-loss record, the energy and vibe around the players and games showed this was a successful season. The game consisted of extended volleys, momentum swings, and plays of selflessness. 

The pace picked up in the 4th set as co-captain Perpetual Dike made big plays on both sides of the net, helping the Rams work their way to a 7-3 start. As the set continued, the improvements in communication, spatial awareness, and togetherness were on full display. 

Co-captain Valeria Mercado attributes the progress the team has made over the season to “putting in the work.” “Our coach is one of the biggest motivators for us,” she added. With the Rams extending the lead to 18-10, the Hawks began to work their way back. 

The opposite hitter Yasmin Whitfield made a great play on the ball, and Dike was able to force a 5th set with a kill. “I think we have energy. We were able to fight for every point, no matter what the score was. I felt like we all [gave] our all… even though we didn’t win, we did our best” Dike said. 

When asked about her ability to work both sides of the net, Dike said, “...being able to show that you can do both is showing the team that if [I can] do it, anybody can and we can all work together and do our best.”

Setter & co-captain Valeria Mercado made impactful plays to help her teammates, the outside hitter Mara Jaimes and middle blocker Lydiannis Boutureria score.

Sophomore Perpetual Dike leaps for a kill to regain momentum in the 4th set. Photo Credit: Pablo Gonzalez

Dike describes this season's team as her “favorite team by far”.  She expressed this while smiling at her teammates and showed appreciation for her teammates' energy and togetherness throughout the season. 

She added, “I really appreciate her [coach Kayla Palmore] for taking her time to get to know us and help us out on the court.” Taking note of the challenges and dedication of first-year head coach Kayla Palmore.

Throughout the competitive game was an opportunity to advance to the finals, both teams, gave it their all. Despite bodies hitting the hardwood in an attempt to save the season, the Rams look back at it all with gratitude and happiness.

Valeria Mercado says her experience playing volleyball for the Rams this season has been “amazing.” “This is a brand new team at Wright College, we all just met each other this year. I think we’ve come a long way and I can’t wait for next year.”

Sophomore Valeria Mercado gets in position to set up her teammate. Photo Credit: Pablo Gonzalez