Sydney Rabinowitz is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Coronado High School for AZPreps365.com

The Coronado Dons  volleyball team lost their 14th consecutive game on Tuesday night at their home court, falling in three sets to the Tempe Buffaloes. 

 The Buffaloes (4-11) secured the  sweep of the Dons (0-14)  with  set scores of 25-5, 25-21 and 25-13. 

The Dons have had a tough season, winning just one set in 14  matches. 

In the second set, the Dons fought back to try and overcome the Buffaloes, losing with their closest score of the night. It was an intense set, with the possession going back and forth between the two teams. The Dons continued to answer back to the Buffaloes in this set, not allowing two points to be scored without scoring one back. 

“The fact that we haven't won a game all year but we still come to practice excited as ever,”  Dons coach Alexander Smothers said. “We come into games, we work hard and we're always having fun. We're joking around even when we're losing by 20 or winning by 20. It's the same excitement and laughter we bring.” 

To Smothers, the energy and commitment that the team brings each week is the main thing that the scores don't reflect. 

A similar sentiment can be found from the players. Aurora Halverson, a senior at Coronado and an outside hitter, expressed a nearly identical perspective in regard to what makes her team special. 

”The collaboration of the people, cause everyone's like so happy,” Halverson said. “Even when you mess up, we're still cheering each other on.” 

Halverson led the team with two kills and two aces, with the kills coming in the second set and the aces coming in the third set. 

Dons sophomore Natalia Mendoza Aguayo led the team with three digs. Although the Dons have not had much success on the court, they still show up for not only themselves but the team as well.

“It's very difficult with the structure that we have here at Coronado,” Smothers said. “None of our girls play club, some varsity girls that (have) never played before and 99% of the teams we play are all club players, so it's a difficult season.”  

To Halverson, taking it one step at a time is what she attributes to the preparation for each game.

“Honestly, after every game it's like it's like a reset. Every game is a new game and we just kinda take it one day at a time,”  Halverson said. 

After each play, the Dons were just as enthusiastic as they would be if they were winning, giving out high-fives and singing their teammates' praises.

Tempe will host Glendale (6-9)  on Thursday at 6 p.m.

 Coronado will travel to  Dysart (8-6)  on Thursday at 6 p.m. The Dons will then play two more matches against Cortez and Glendale to close out their season.