Warriors split first four league volleyball matches

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

A five-game loss Sept. 30 at Escondido gave Fallbrook High School’s girls volleyball team a 2-2 Valley League record after four league matches.

The Warriors’ overall record became 13-13 with that loss. “They’re up and down,” said Fallbrook coach Chip Patterson. “We don’t have a lot of consistency.”

That inconsistency is often with the availability of players on the roster rather than with the mental focus of Fallbrook’s players. Two of Fallbrook’s players did not compete against Escondido.

“It’s a constant inconsistency,” Patterson said. “Their inconsistency has caused us to be .500.”

The Warriors hadn’t had what could be considered a slump during August and September; the longest losing streak was two matches on four separate occasions including the start of the season when the Warriors lost in four games at home Aug. 23 against Elsinore and in three games Aug. 29 at Our Lady of Peace.

Fallbrook then had a four-match winning streak. A three-game home win Aug. 31 against Victory Christian was followed by the Warriors sweeping their pool in the Sept. 2-3 Sweetwater Tournament. The Sept. 2 victories were against Chula Vista Learning Community Charter, Morse, and Monarch. Fallbrook’s Sept. 3 matches were a loss to Bonita Vista, a win over Mira Mesa, and a loss against University City.

A Sept. 6 home victory against O’Farrell was followed by losses Sept. 8 at Vista and Sept. 12 at home against Mission Vista. A Sept. 14 trip to El Camino ended as a four-game Warriors victory. Fallbrook then lost in three games Sept. 15 at San Dieguito Academy.

Valley League play for Fallbrook began Sept. 20 at Mount Carmel. The Sundevils took a three-game victory.

“Mount Carmel, I can take that loss because they are a really good team,” Patterson said.

The Warriors’ first league win of 2022 occurred Sept. 21 at Valley Center. The games had 25-16, 25-16, and 25-13 scores.

The Sweetwater Tournament was played Sept. 23-24. Pool play for Fallbrook was a three-game loss to Vista, a two-game win over Brawley, and a three-game loss against Scripps Ranch. The Sept. 23 results placed the Warriors in the Silver Division for Sept. 24 bracket play.

A three-game win in the match with Coronado, a two-game victory against El Camino, and a three-game triumph over Sage Creek put Fallbrook in the Silver Division championship match against Vista. The third match of the season between the two teams was a 25-22, 25‑21 Panthers victory.

“They beat us all three times,” Patterson said. “Right now we just can’t seem to put it together against them.”

The Warriors fared better Sept. 28 in the league home match against San Pasqual. Fallbrook was on the winning end of the 25-22, 25-15, 25-22 score.

Escondido began the Sept. 30 match by winning the 25-15 first set. Fallbrook countered with a 25-23 victory. The Cougars took game three by a 25-17 margin. Fallbrook evened the match with a 25‑15 triumph. The fifth game was to 15 points, and Escondido prevailed in that 15-13 contest.

“We couldn’t finish,” Patterson said.