It narrates the journey of Mafatu, the son of the chief of Hikueru Island, Tavana Nui. Mafatu is afraid of the sea because he witnessed the death of his mother when he was a small child, which makes him an embarrassment to his father, and is considered a coward among his tribe.
If you've provided some options, It would be much better. Anyway, I'd go with this: Having suffered 8 consecutive defeats, the members of the team felt understandably <span>apathetic</span> before their last game of the season.