By Kai Ru Bok
During a quiet Friday morning, nearly half of the high school disappeared from school. Last Friday, September 30th, the varsity boys and girls volleyball teams, varsity boys and girls soccer teams, and junior varsity boys and girls volleyball teams set off to Kuala Lumpur to write the sequel to their battle with ISKL (International School Kuala Lumpur) after the Spike and Strike Tournament.
The boys varsity volleyball team proved better after beating the ISKL boys on home ground, but tensions were high during the days leading up to the Twin Towers Tourney as people wondered how the team would fare playing in the home of the panthers. After a shaky first game against Blockbusters, the boys set their sights on showing their local rivals once again who was the superior team.
The varsity boys’ team captain, Isaac Lee (11), recalled not being “intimidated by them at all, unlike [the] first game [in Penang].” He continued, “Sure, they were all half a foot taller, but I knew we had better teamwork. Knowing what our team and I can do, I knew we could beat them.”
Starting the set, the boys fought the early-game butterflies but soon found their rhythm, creating a massive difference in points. ISKL struggled with miscommunication and simple mistakes, costing them the first set.
Middle blocker, Aaron Andrews (9), huddled the team together before the start of the second set, reminding the team to “keep pushing and not be complacent.” Unfortunately, the Eagles fell short in the second set when ISKL quickly overcame their shortcomings in the first set.
As the whistle sounded, signaling the start of the third and final set, the eagles huddled together one last time before stepping onto the court. The chant of the twelve boys echoed throughout the gym, followed by the cheers and screams of the varsity boys and girls soccer teams.
After a hard-fought battle to fifteen points, outside hitter, Benjamin Yeoh (12), said, “Winning a close match against ISKL was the highlight of the trip. It felt great to beat our rivals at home and then a week later in KL. I am also really grateful for the soccer teams who came out to support us. It made us feel like we were playing back in Sandycroft.”
In the short time the boys have been back in Penang, they have been working to patch up the holes in individual and team play in preparation for ACSC on October 18-22. Each of the team members feels confident for ACSC and hopes to bring home a trophy for Dalat.
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