Throughout Makena Tong’s senior year with the University of California, Riverside (UCR) women’s volleyball team, there’s been plenty of opportunity to create memories with her teammates while building a solid foundation for the volleyball program under first-year head coach Branden Higa. After a season filled with ups and downs, UCR played their final game of the season on senior night against California State University, Northridge (CSUN) on Nov. 22.
Although the Highlanders fell short in their final game against CSUN in a 3-2 loss, Tong could not be more proud of herself and the team. “Even though we didn’t get a win, I was still very proud … and I thought that everyone gave their all,” commented Tong.
Flashback to last year, Tong suffered a severe ankle injury during a game at Cal State Long Beach. Going into this year, Tong wouldn’t let an injury derail her senior season: “I knew that going into my senior year my mindset was really strong through the injury … I wanted to continue what I had started before the injury, and I also just wanted to [finish off my career strong].”
She emphasized, “I already went through all the lows. I wanted this year to be my high.”
After losing to CSUN on senior night, UCR finished with a 5-13 conference record and failed to reach the Big West Women’s Volleyball Tournament. Despite finishing eighth in the Big West conference, Tong is confident that Higa is building a program that can compete for more wins in the future.
Tong grew up in Honolulu, Hawai’i and she detailed how she first started playing volleyball when she was eight years old. “My parents put me in it just for fun … but towards the end of middle school is when I really fell in love with volleyball,” explained Tong. “I had more fun and made all my best friends through volleyball, so that was also why I have so much passion for the sport.”
When asked what her favorite UCR volleyball memory was, Tong stated, “My whole senior year was definitely my favorite memory; there are so many things that I could choose. From preseason tournaments, traveling to Florida, Utah, Vegas and even our practices were really fun.”
Tong ends by adding, “I wouldn’t want it any other way. I’m just grateful that I got to end off my UCR career the way that I did.”
