The Hilmar varsity volleyball team fell to West High of Tracy on Tuesday afternoon in a non-conference home game that ended in a 3-1 loss.

“You always like to challenge your players and when you play D1 you are challenging them since we are D4,” said Hilmar head coach Patti Harris. “They stay with these teams, so this is good and challenges them and pressurizes them to overcome things.”

The Yellowjackets were coming off back-to-back wins in the Trans-Valley League to kick things off, but met a team in a higher division in West, hoping to continue their growth.

Unfortunately, the end result wasn’t what they hoped for, but they started strong.

In the first set, the ‘Jackets came out on fire and took the 25-16 win.

“If you have a good team, this pushes them and we have beaten them before this year, in Reno, but obviously earlier in the season everyone plays better,” said Harris.

Back on Sept. 2, the ‘Jackets had toppled West in a 2-0 decision at the Reno High Sierra Tournament.

Then West battled back. winning the second set, 25-21.

West came out on top in the third set 26-24, before taking the match with a fourth set victory, 25-16.

“We want this, because we learn from games like this and we had too many girls not mentally there,” said Harris. “I told them they need to play as a team, and it’s not about you, it’s about the team, but the first was good, but it was a mental thing.”

The Yellowjackets are now 12-9 overall, and 2-0 in the TVL.

Eight of their nine losses have been to top ranked opponents.

Two of their first losses came against the No. 3 team in Nevada in Bishop Manogue, while six of their next losses came at the hands of teams ranked 46 or higher in California.

Hilmar’s Hannah Pearce finished with 40 assists. Liv Peterson had three blocks. Makayla Fontes added 26 digs. Mariah Ahid added 16 kills while freshman Mikela Labno had 13 kills.