Update: Palo Alto defeated Los Altos 3-0.

After rising to second place with a win in its last game, the Palo Alto High School girls’ varsity volleyball team (4-1) faces off tonight against league leaders Los Altos (5-0) in the race for first place in the De Anza division.

In their last three games, the Vikings have picked up two wins against Homestead and Mountain View, as well as a loss against rivals Los Gatos.

Against Homestead last Wednesday, the team excelled early on in the match and overcame a third-set loss to win the match 3-1. Paly exhibited strong offense and defense with many blocks and kills from outside hitters Thea Enache, a junior, and Sophia Krugler, a senior. Setter and senior Kylie Mies said the team was happy to come home with a win but believed the performance was not ideal.

“I think we could have played better,” Mies said. “[Although] by the fourth set, we improved both defensively and offensively.”

The Vikings’ winning streak was interrupted after they fell to rivals Los Gatos on Friday, failing to win a single set. Many of the team’s important players were missing due to a conflicting out-of-state club tournament. According to junior outside hitter Alex Franklin, the team struggled defensively against Gatos’ attacks.

“Both our front and back row players couldn’t keep with the variety of quick sets and plays used by their attackers all over the court,” Franklin said.

However, Paly was able to recover from this defeat with a strong performance against Mountain View. They started off with a strong victory in the first set and overcame defeat in the second set to win the game 3-1, giving them a much-needed win before the important game against the Eagles.

Los Altos is currently undefeated in the league, although both teams have only lost six sets during the entire season. According to Franklin, the outcome of the game will depend on player availability.

“Assuming we have all of our players, it should be a pretty close game,” Franklin said. “Los Altos is a very strong team, but we definitely have a chance.”

The game begins tonight at 7:45 p.m. at Los Altos High School. Although no spectators are allowed, the match will be live-streamed to NFHS subscription holders here.