On Thursday Sep 4^th, the Tracy High school varsity girls’ volleyball team faced off against the Ripon Christian Knights in the second home game of their season and were defeated 3-0. Although the girls fell short of winning, players expressed their appreciation for the energy, support and spirit the small but mighty Dog Pound brought to the game.

The Bulldogs and the Knights fought hard throughout the three-set match, but the Knight’s ended up taking home the win. Despite the difficulty and loss, Tracy High head coach Giselle Barrios took a different perspective and emphasized seeing the silver lining.

“There was a lot of funny mistakes,” Barrios admitted, “That is pretty cool, because we get to learn from them”

The game marked the Bulldog’s second home game of the 2025 season and the first that Dog Pound came out to show support. While the scoreboard was in the Knight’s favor, the atmosphere in the stands was a loud reminder of the support and community the Bulldogs have backing them up regardless of outcome.

Junior Gurnaaz Joura emphasized her gratitude for the dog pound’s support despite losing.

“I think the most fun thing about the game was the dog pound definitely, seeing all the students support the team.” Joura disclosed, “You know, even if it didn’t end in the way we wanted it, it feels good to have the support.”

The dog pound is a section of Tracy High students, often coordinating in spirit, chanting and cheering from the stands to boost the morale of the players and encourage school spirit as well as creating a community.  This game marked dog pound’s first appearance at a volleyball game this season. Although a bit smaller than in past years, the group’s presence was something both coaches and players expressed gratitude for.

When discussing her favorite part of the game, senior Hayley Bogetti noted “seeing the dog pound cheer and everyone being spirited” as her favorite part of the game.

The girls’ next game is an away match on Tuesday, September 9th against Skyline High school.