Girls Basketball hosts National Girls and Women in Sports night game against Los Gatos High School
Matadors fall with a score of 58-29
The Matadors pose with LGHS in their National Women and Girls in Sports Day shirts before the game starts.
February 17, 2023
Coming off a 52-33 victory over Homestead High School, the Varsity Girls Basketball team fell 58-29 to Los Gatos High School on Thursday, Feb. 9, in a game commemorating National Girls and Women in Sports night. The loss brought the team’s league record to 4-7, putting the Matadors in fifth place in the SCVAL De Anza League. Prior to the game, coach Sara Borelli gave a speech for National Girls and Women in Sports day.
According to sophomore Clara Fan, the Matadors were expecting a difficult matchup going into the game against the undefeated LGHS. Fan says the MVHS players were of smaller stature relative to LGHS, and despite the Matadors’ best efforts to use their height and speed to their advantage, LGHS was still able to dominate each quarter. LGHS was led by sophomore Nicole Steiner, who scored 19 points. Juniors Vivian Ong and Carolyn Ruan led MVHS, scoring nine and eight points respectively.
Fan says she felt the team members could have improved by enhancing their ball movement and improving the accuracy of their shots. However, she also acknowledges that the team was able to adapt to the playing style of LGHS. Fan explains how they changed their strategy in attempt to beat the LGHS.
“We just kept shooting, even if they weren’t going in because eventually they [go in],” Fan said. “So yeah, we just kept doing that. And then we adapted to whether their bigger players were in or not, [and tried] to work our way around them or prevent them.”
Senior Emi Kosakura agrees with Fan, emphasizing how team morale and pre-game notions may have contributed to the team’s loss.
“Personally I did not play my best game and I think as a team, we could have definitely done better, but we knew that Los Gatos is a good team and I think just going in with a stronger mentality next time would definitely help us,” Kosakura said. “We have one more league game left before CCS. We don’t really know what to expect next. So just going into each game with the same mentality will help us move forward.”
Although MVHS lost to LGHS, Kosakura and Fan say the game was still special to them because it celebrated National Girls and Women in Sports Day. This year, Luisa Harris, the first woman drafted in the NBA, was highlighted due to her notable contributions to basketball. Shirts featuring some of Harris’ major accomplishments were also provided to those who attended the game.
In addition, this game also honored Physical Education teacher Julie Sullivan, who passed away in July of 2022, and a memorial was held during halftime to honor her legacy. Ending with three cheers of “Hip, hip, hooray!,” the remembrance celebrated Sullivan in the same fun-loving mannerisms in which she lived. According to Fan, the most honorable part of the game was playing for an important cause.
“It’s definitely great having the opportunity to play for a bigger cause,” Fan said. “And even if we didn’t win, we put our best effort forward to honor everyone.”
