SAN ANTONIO, TX. (September 15, 2023)- After a few delays at the beginning of the trip, the Poets finally made it out to Texas to participate in the 2023 Trinity Fall Classic. Unfortunately, Whittier's first day did not go as planned as they dropped both their matches. The final score against Franklin & Marshall was 3-1 and then they lost to MIT 3-0. 

GAME 1:

The first set opened and both teams were ready to fight. They battled back and forth on the court and neither team was able to get a strong grasp on the lead. When one team went on a run the other would follow shortly after. Franklin & Marshall though would end up getting the final run and defeating the Poets 25-23. 

The second set was dominated by the Poets, as they came out with a different type of energy. Xenia Villagomez (Corona, Calif., Santiago HS), Sofia Zazueta (La Mirada, Calif., Orange Lutheran HS), and Riley DeGroot (Ontario, Calif., Mt. San Antonio College) specifically led the charge during this second set run. The three girls got kill after kill and showed great team chemistry moving the ball around. 

In the third set Franklin & Marshall got off to a very fast start and the Poets looked to be on their heels, but then the girls rallied once again to tie the game at 10. The two teams went back and forth until the score was tied at 20, but then the Diplomats went on a run to end the game 25-20. 

Down 2 sets to 1, the Poets would have to win this next one to stay alive. However, the girls just could not get into their grove. Franklin & Marshall was getting everything to go their way and we just were not able to get the right bounces. The final score of this fourth set would be 25-14. 

Whittier would lose this first match 1-3. Their second match of the tournament would come later against MIT. Villagomez (11), Zazueta (12), and DeGroot (11) would lead the way for the Poets this game as they all had double-digit kills. 

GAME 2:

The first set of game 2 was another hard fought one for the ladies. They would go down for extended times, but would never quite go away until MIT was able to hold on to win 25-22. 

The second set was very similar to the first. MIT got off to an early lead and they would never let the Poets catch up. Whittier would not get too far behind ever as the most they would trail by would be 6. But once again it was MIT that was able to get the last run and win this set 25-20. They were now leading 2-0. 

In the third and what would be the final set of the match for the Poets the girls were not able to get into rhythm. Miscommunication and strong MIT play would lead to Whittier dropping this game by a final score of 25-15.

Although the Poets would end up losing both matches today, they remain confident in their team and ready for the next match. The team stayed in many of the sets during the first day of the Trinity Fall Classic and will look to do the same on day 2. The girls will take on Trinity University in their first game at 12:15 and then end the day against Southwestern University at 4:45. 

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