Barlow High School’s new volleyball coach, Alyssa “Lihau” Perreira, celebrated a meaningful victory on September 4 as her team defeated Sandy High School 3-0 in their season opener.
Perreira, who grew up in Sandy and starred in volleyball at Barlow, returned to the Mt. Hood Conference as Barlow’s head coach. She had previously coached at Sandy from 2019 to 2021 before taking the reins at Barlow. Her return to Sandy’s gym was both a personal and professional milestone.
“It is crazy because Sandy will always feel like home for me,” Perreira said. “There are so many of my former players and friends here in the gym.”
Perreira’s debut as Barlow’s head coach was marked by a decisive win with set scores of 25-13, 25-22, and 25-19. This victory was particularly significant as it came against her former team, which had previously enjoyed a successful run in the Franklin Tournament.
Barlow’s senior middle blocker, Addi Knight, led her team with 8 kills, 2 blocks, and 3 aces. Sophomore middle blocker Ashlynn Blake added 7 kills, and junior setter Cadence Austin contributed 4 kills and an ace.
For Sandy, junior Anna Orlowski led with 5 kills and 4 blocks, while senior Maia Roach had 4 kills, an ace, and 2 blocks. Junior Jaycie Stuchlik added 3 kills and 2 aces. Senior Kalysta Majerak and junior Emelia Haney each recorded a pair of aces.
Perreira praised her team’s energy and accountability. “It feels great to get the win,” she said. “I liked the competitiveness on the court and how they kept the energy high in this first game.”
Knight, known for her powerful spikes, adjusted her play style in the second set when Sandy began to defend against her attacks. Freshmen Natalie Bell and Lola Brown also made notable contributions. Bell, a libero, led the team with 4 aces, while Brown added 6 kills and three consecutive aces.
Despite the 3-0 scoreline, Sandy displayed strong performance, especially as the game progressed. The home team improved their play throughout the match, with notable moments including Majerak’s back-to-back aces and Roach’s contributions that kept the sets competitive.
Barlow managed to close out the match with critical plays from Stuchlik and Orlowski, and an ace from Bell sealed the win.
Perreira, reflecting on the game, emphasized her team’s focused approach. “Every game we have that ‘faceless opponent’ mentality,” she said. “No matter who we are playing, especially in the Mt. Hood League, we are coming out with the same intensity.”
