The Fountain Hills High School boys volleyball team got off to a sluggish start in both of its matches this week, and only started firing on all cylinders when it was too late to make a comeback.

The Falcons’ first game of the week was at home on April 9 against Horizon Honors. FHHS lost the game in three sets, 25-16, 25-16 and 30-28.

Two days later, on April 11, the Falcons went up against Arizona College Prep and lost again in three sets, 25-20, 25-19 and 25-22.

This week the boys volleyball squad has two matches on its schedule.

The first was yesterday, April 16, away against Gilbert Christian.

The final match of the week for the Falcons is today, April 17, at home. Starting at 4:30 p.m., the FHHS will play McClintock.

Head coach Halle Harker said she believes that her team learned a valuable lesson in its losses this past week.

“It sucks to lose in the third set once everything seems to be falling into place,” Harker said. “That is why the guys need to be coming out in set one and they need to be able to keep that focus throughout the whole match.”

To address that problem Harker is changing the flow of practice to get her team used to being alert the moment they step on the court.

“We are trying to focus on this new attitude where once you set feet in the gym, you are in practice mode and you don’t come out of it until practice is finished,” Harker said. “Because that is the way we need to be during the games.”

Harker said she is still proud of the progress her team has been able to make in the season so far.

“Even from the Horizon Honors game to the Arizona College match, you can see the guys improve little by little,” Harker said. “Our seniors have been stepping up and taking some of our younger guys under their wings, showing them what it means to come out and just compete not matter what.”