The Bulldogs’ volleyball team prepared for their Senior Night game against the rival Ventura Cougars Tuesday, Oct. 11.

The team had previously conceded their last two games to Santa Barbara and San Marcos without winning a set, and they looked to turn it around for their final game of the season. 

But for the seniors on the team, it was much more than just the final game of the season, it was their final game playing for Buena. 

“Taking pictures with my family was hard,” Senior Taleena Thompson said. “They have been supporting me ever since I started playing and now it is going to be over.”

After the seniors had their pictures taken with their parents, it truly set in that some players would not be wearing Buena Blue on the court ever again.

“I felt sad that this game was the last game for me at Buena,” Thompson said. “But I had to get out of my head because I had a huge game to play.”

With this being the last time this set of seniors would play Ventura, the tensions were high, and bragging rights were up for grabs. 

The first set began with much anticipation from the Bulldog student section, who were decked out in black and blue. It remained even for the majority of the set, but Buena came out on top with a score of 25-22, taking a 1-0 lead over the Cougars.

The energy was shifted completely towards Buena, and the majority of the players could sense this, including Senior Jayden Lee.

“Winning that set was huge,” Lee said. “It definitely gave us a lot of confidence for the rest of the game.”

The second set felt like deja vu from the first set as it went back and forth, with the score staying close. 

However, the Bulldogs ran away with it towards the end and finished off the set by beating the Cougars 25-18.

A 2-0 lead is not an easy thing to come back from and the Bulldog student section could feel that Buena was nearing victory. 

The third set began with an early Ventura lead and it stayed that way for a majority of the set. It seemed like the Bulldogs were going to have to play another set, this time only holding a 2-1 lead.

But Buena pulled through in the end as they cut the Cougars’ lead and ran away with the game leaving no trace of paw prints behind, winning the third and final set 25-16. 

The Bulldogs’ side rushed onto the court to celebrate with the team and the seniors ended their time on the Buena Volleyball Team with a win over their rivals.

“It was honestly the most exciting game that I’ve ever been a part of,” Lee said. “I’m so happy that I was able to share it with my team and my family.”