Boys volleyball lost 3-0 May 2 to undefeated Wootton in the first round of the playoffs, bringing its season to a close.

“We reached our goal of getting to the playoffs,” junior Alex Chiang said. “Hopefully we’ll be back next year.”

Sophomore Brian Chen also felt the team achieved many of its goals.

“Even though we lost it was a good experience for us,” Chen said. “For a team that just started, we did exceptionally well.”

This is the second time in three seasons the Bulldogs have been knocked out of the playoffs by Wootton.

“They’re one of the best teams in the county,” Chiang said.

The Bulldogs had a rough end to their season, losing 3-0 to B-CC April 30. The team finished with a 5-6 record that was just enough to get them into the playoffs.

A loss to Blair April 27 put the team’s playoff hopes in jeopardy as it headed down the final stretch. The game that night left the Bulldogs with a 5-5 record, putting pressure on the team to pull out a win in its final regular season game to secure a playoff spot. The Bulldogs were ultimately the last place 16th seed.

In contrast to the spirit dampening loss to Blair, the 3-1 victory on Senior Night April 25 provided a major boost to the team. With an enthusiastic win, the Bulldogs solidified their chance at a playoff run by establishing a winning record.

The team has suffered from inexperience due to a significant loss of returning players. The Bulldogs finished the season on a three-game losing streak, often facing more experienced teams.

“Wootton happened to be at a much higher skill level,” said Chen of the playoff match. “We played our hardest and that’s what is most important.

Despite the losing record, the team finished in a stronger position that last year, which has raised expectations for the young squad. Chen looks forward to future seasons with the team.

“I’m proud of the team,” Chen said. “We struggled a lot and got down a lot but we managed to get through.”