How I Set Your Mother, HIYSM, a coed recreation volleyball, secured the No. 1 seed heading into the City of College Station playoffs — and not for the first time, either.
While it’s never won the championship, the team hopes to bring it all home when HISYM hits the playoffs at the Lincoln Recreation Center, beginning Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 7:45 p.m., captain Caitlin Alvarado said.
The city recreation league is open to anyone age 18 and over, and A&M students can register as a free agent through the city’s recreational website to compete in the playoffs, said Kohl Vega, manager of the City of College Station’s Recreation Sports program. Those interested will find the full bracket and schedules at the coed online schedule.
To enter as top seed, HISYM swept Net-Flix Originals, NYO, and Boom Shaka Laka, BSL, in a doubleheader on Tuesday, Oct. 14, at the Lincoln Recreation Center. Those two teams are usually the hardest opponents to play, Alvarado said. HISYM is in first place with a 16-2 record, according to teamsideline.com.
HISYM opened the first set against Net-Flix Originals with an ace from all-around player Abby Petera and kills from hitter Madison Batson, Alvarado and Griggs. After an out-of-rotation call, the team recovered as Petera served 13 straight points. A timeout slowed the service run, but the squad closed the 25-14 win with a long rally and an outside kill from Alvarado.
“Caitlin’s definitely the MVP tonight,” Griggs said. “She had two big hits and kept the offense connected all game.”
NFO opened the second set with an ace, but HISYM quickly took control back with a right-side kill from Batson. Kills from Griggs and aces from Alvarado extended the lead to 11-5 before a timeout was called as a strategy to halt momentum.
Out of the break, Griggs kept serve and went on a 16-point run to push the score to 23-5. The set ended with a kill from hitter Cody Bennett to seal the 25-11 win and give HISYM a 2-0 advantage.
HISYM carried its momentum into the third set as Batson opened with six aces during an 11-point service run. The team built a 20-9 lead while holding NFO to single digits for most of the set. Griggs finished the match with an outside kill to secure the 25-12 win and complete the sweep.
During back-to-back games, HISYM keeps its energy up by staying loose and joking with each other between plays, Alvarado explained.
The team typically starts slowly, Griggs added.
“We don’t always do as good in the first one, but we laugh through it, we know what we can do and know our limits,” Griggs said.
For its second matchup of the night, HISYM faced off against Boom Shaka Laka, the league’s No. 3 team with a 12-6 record. HISYM opened with right-side kills from Alvarado and a 7-0 serving run from Batson. Smart tips and setter dumps kept BSL off balance as HISYM cruised to a 25-9 win.
The second set started with strong kills, but HISYM fell out of system and disagreed with a few calls from the referee. Miscommunication on service reception put HISYM behind 12-6 before the team called its first timeout of the night.
Out of the break, the team reset and responded with a series of unblockable kills by Batson and Griggs, taking back control and closing the set, 25-17.
“[We have] no specific plays or rotations, just focusing on good passing to give ourselves good scoring opportunities and good blocking to assist our defense,” Cody Bennett said.
The third set started with long rallies full of quick saves, leaving HISYM trailing 4-1. HISYM adjusted with fast outside sets and middle calls that caught BSL off guard to tie the score at 8-8.
Both teams struggled at the service line, going point-for-point in the final stretch, but HISYM pulled ahead late in the set with kills from Griggs to take the set 25-21, the closest frame of the night.
Alvarado, the night’s MVP, said she’s grown this season by connecting more with her hitters and learning what each of them likes on the court. Chemistry is what has helped the team stay consistent through long matches and close sets, she explained.
Playoffs for the City of College Station coed Maroon division start in the Gold Gym at the Lincoln Recreation Center on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 7:45 p.m.
Carly Culbreth is a journalism junior and contributed this article from the course JOUR 359, Reporting Sports, to The Battalion.
