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A girls’ high school volleyball team in California had two more games wiped off the schedule after other schools forfeited, escalating a controversy over a transgender player on the roster.

Maribel Munoz, mother of a Jurupa Valley High School girls’ volleyball team player, confirmed the forfeits on Tuesday after coach Liana Manu informed the parents. The two forfeits were against Rim of the World High School, originally set for August 25, and Orange Vista High School, scheduled for August 29.

Jurupa Valley Unified School District (JUSD) stated the decision, clarifying that the forfeits were not made by the district. “We understand and acknowledge the disappointment of our Jurupa Valley High School athletes who are ready and prepared to play. Decisions to cancel matches were made by teams in other districts,” it said in a statement.

The district said in the statement that it is required to follow California law that prohibits discrimination based on gender identity and must allow students to join athletic teams that match their gender identity under Education Code 221.5 (f). The officials pointed out that the position mirrors that of California Attorney General Rob Bonta and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

“We are proud of our JVHS Jaguars and their willingness to play any team and represent their school and our district with pride,” the statement concluded. The district also said it was trying to find more games to ensure the athletes “do not lose the opportunity to play.”

In the statement, the district did not mention Riverside Poly High School by name. However, Riverside Poly had forfeited an August 15 game against Jurupa Valley, and parents of Poly athletes and a local school board member had told Fox News Digital that it was a direct response to the participation of the team’s transgender player, senior AB Hernandez.

Mother of Trans Athlete Issued Statement in Wake of Controversy

In a statement, Hernandez’s mother, Nereyda Hernandez, spoke to the controversy surrounding her daughter. “I understand the discomfort some may feel, because I was once there, too. The difference is, I chose to learn, to grow, and to open my heart,” she said.

In the statement, Hernandez described her daughter as petite. “The only thing she is towering over is her competition because she is that good. Her strength is in her character, her talent, and her dedication to the sport,” Hernandez added.

She also sought to allay parents’ fears about their daughters being around her. “This is a child, and I can assure you that she sees your daughters as peers, as teammates, as friends, not through a lens of anything inappropriate,” she said. Hernandez also said her daughter was not aware of the forfeits over her participation.