Marcos Aragon
ASU Student Journalist

Golden Eagles volleyball hopes improved communication leads to win against Bears

September 10, 2019 by Marcos Aragon, Arizona State University


Marcos Aragon is a student journalist at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University student assigned to cover Bourgade Catholic High School volleyball.

When asked what the three varsity captains of Bourgade Catholic High School volleyball team worked on during the offseason, the answers formed a consensus about one thing they all wanted to strengthen: their communication. The team is returning six juniors, including first-time captain Bryce Lacey, and five seniors with setter Erin Fish and outside hitter Andrea Garcia also earning their first captain nods. Garcia said the team’s communication is “a lot stronger this year.”

“I think we all got to know each other a little more — I think we were all on teams before like back on JV. I know some of us already knew each other so we had a strong connection like that already," Garcia said. "And I think it’s just a great group of girls, we’re all just really comfortable with each other."

Golden Eagles head coach Melinda Espinoza noted that this team is more talented than last season’s 12-12 team because of the maturation and growth of their younger players like Lacey and the addition of junior transfer Gabriela Alba. 

“(Alba) has added the middle that we desperately needed,” Espinoza said. “The net-play in the middle between her and (Gabreya Garcia) is phenomenal. And if you don’t have that net-play, it just kills you. And they already know what to do, I don’t have to say too much. They’ve got that down.”

Through the first eight games of their schedule, the Golden Eagles are 3-5, but Lacey feels that the team is “connecting really well.” The team has a matchup Tuesday night on the road against the Coolidge High School Bears. Bourgade Catholic is 2-0 against Coolidge over the last two seasons. 

“We beat them last year, and I feel like we’re better this year,” Lacey said. “We’re communicating more and we have more of an awareness of where we are on the court.”

According to Espinoza, her Golden Eagles have played with more “consistency” over the past few seasons than the Bears.

“I’m super hyped about it being an away game so we can bond more not only on the bus, but on the court too,” Fish said. “This is my third year on the team, and I think this is probably the best team I’ve played on yet.”

As the setter, Fish admitted that her teammates call her the “quarterback of the team” and like any good quarterback, she has new leadership responsibilities as a captain too.

“It means I get to be the one to always be there for my team, to support my team, and I’ll be the first person to make them smile and make sure they’re doing their jobs,” Fish said. 

“Without the quarterback, you can’t get any touchdowns — without the setter, you can’t get any kills.” 

Espinoza highlighted Lacy’s position on the team as the only junior captain on the team and said she’s “earned it by the way she performs on the court”. Lacy understands that she has to work exceptionally hard as the youngest of the captains.

“I think that being a captain means having to show a lot of respect to your players, being a leader on and off the court, and just being exemplary towards people like having good grades and showing up every day and giving your hundred percent, and I believe that’s why I’m a captain with (Fish and Garcia)," she said.