What an insane week of volleyball.
The Dons traveled to rival Campolindo on October 22, and there was little reason to expect a long night. Campo had swept the Dons 3-0 in their first meeting, and word on the street was that the Cougars hadn’t lost a single set in league play. The Dons were missing star outside hitter Ella Chong. And some parents had even made 8 p.m. dinner reservations, which tells you just how much confidence they had in an early night.
But the Dons had other plans. Down 10-14 in the first set, senior Devyn Murphy rattled off four straight service points, including two aces, to tie things at 15. After a quick sideout, sophomore setter Kaia Copen went on a five-point serving run, and suddenly the Dons were up 22-16. Senior Meher Jeyakrishnan, apparently sick of losing to Campo, delivered a kill, stepped to the service line, and helped close out the set, aided by senior Sydney Scovic.
Campo, which was trying to celebrate its own Senior Night, suddenly had a problem.
The second set was a back-and-forth battle, with neither team able to pull away. Tied at 20, Murphy delivered another big kill. Senior Harper Fox followed with two aces, and the Dons managed to build a two-point lead. In a set this tight, that was apparently an insurmountable deficit for Campo, and the Dons took the second set.
The Campo gym was now quieter than a library during finals week. The home crowd looked stunned. Students were streaming toward the exits. Somewhere, a Campo parent was probably wondering if it was too late to make a dinner reservation. Honestly, it was glorious.
The third set was more of the same. Through the first 24 points, neither team had managed a lead of more than two. The intensity was ridiculous, with both teams fighting for every point. Tied at 25, Campo finally managed to string together two points to take the set, 27-25.
Unfortunately, that seemed to wake the sleeping giant. Campo found its rhythm and won the fourth and fifth sets to take the match, 3-2.
But this one felt like a victory. The Dons had walked into the gym of an undefeated league powerhouse, punched them in the mouth (figuratively, for anyone from the administration reading this), and taken the first two sets from a team that hadn’t lost one in league play. While they ruined multiple dinner reservations in the process, this was a tradeoff the parents gladly made.
More importantly, they showed what they’re capable of when they keep opponents off balance with aggressive serving and spread the offense across all their hitters. For two and a half sets, the Dons weren’t just competing with one of the best teams in the league. They were beating them. And that’s something worth celebrating.
A Senior Night of Their Own
Two nights later, Berean Christian visited Acalanes for the Dons’ Senior Night. After Thursday’s emotional roller coaster, this one was considerably less stressful for the parents. Which was good, because some of us are aging and our nervous systems can only take so much.
The Dons wasted no time establishing control. Lourdes Smith opened the match with six straight service points, including two aces, while Devyn Murphy and Meher Jeyakrishnan contributed two kills apiece. Before Berean Christian could figure out what had happened, the Dons had cruised to a 25-12 first-set victory.
The second set apparently never happened, at least according to the notes provided to this reporter. But the Dons continued their dominance with a 25-11 win in the next recorded set, followed by a 25-16 finish. It was a fitting way to celebrate the seniors, with the team playing confidently and having fun together.
To the Class of 2027
I want to end with something a little more serious. Anyone who has played team sports knows that every team has its own personality. Some teams are incredibly close. Others are full of drama, cliques, and the kind of politics that make you wonder whether you’re watching a high school volleyball team or an episode of Survivor.
And while wins and losses tend to get most of the attention, the environment that players create for one another matters just as much. Especially in high school, when you’re trying to figure out who you are, where you belong, and whether you can trust the people around you.
This year’s seniors got that right. Amelia Easley, Devyn Murphy, Ella Chong, Harper Fox, Lourdes Smith, Meher Jeyakrishnan, Sahar Noroozi, and Sydney Scovic have created something pretty special. They’ve been supportive, inclusive, welcoming, and genuinely invested in the success of their teammates. They haven’t created an environment where younger players have to earn the right to belong. They’ve made them feel like they belong from the beginning.
And that’s a bigger accomplishment than anything that shows up in a box score or these silly articles.
Next year, there will be new starters, new leaders, and a new version of Dons volleyball. But the juniors and sophomores will carry forward what this group has taught them about being good teammates, looking out for one another, and having fun playing a sport they love.
To our eight seniors: You’ll be missed next year, both on the court and off. But after watching you this season, I have little doubt that you’re all headed for some pretty great things. You should be proud of what you’ve accomplished, and even prouder of what you’re leaving behind.
You did the Class of 2027 proud, and you made the Class of 2028 better.
Next up are the playoffs, where the #7 seeded Dons travel 2.5 hours to face #10 Kelseyville, in a scheduling decision that suggests the bracket was created by someone unfamiliar with both geography and numbers.