The girls basketball team was defeated 31-33 in a close game against Los Altos on Friday, Jan. 9. This was the Spartans’ third league game of the season and fourteenth overall. 

Entering the game, MVHS was skeptical about the game’s outcome due to the Eagles’ higher rank.

“We weren’t sure how it was gonna go,” sophomore guard Kamya Patwardhan said, “We were definitely the underdogs in this situation.”

From tipoff, the Spartans struggled against the Eagles. They allowed steals on offense, missing open shots, and leaving open gaps on defense for Los Altos to score. Despite this, MVHS still held their ground and the 1st quarter ended 11-14. 

During the second quarter, the Spartans were able to increase their scoring to keep up with the Eagles. Senior forward Roxie Silver highlighted sophomore center Emilia Confors-Gurvoski for her performance. 

“[Confors-Gurvoski] had four blocks, and was just doing a good job locking down on defense overall,” Silver said.

As the second half began, the game’s momentum began to shift as the Spartans overtook the Eagles, and they secured a 28-27 lead by the end of 3rd quarter. 

Yet, the Spartans couldn’t hold on to their lead, MVHS allowed a layup with 3.6 seconds remaining on the clock. The Spartans then missed the inbound and the game finished with a score of 31-33.

Silver said that the team needed to improve on playing as a team instead of strictly as individuals.

“We get caught up and think that we’re the only person on the court and we have to score when we get the ball, instead of looking for the open pass.”

Despite the loss, Patwardhan felt positive about the team going forward.

“I’m excited for the rest of the season,” Patwardan said.