By Isabella Langner

On Feb. 24, the LGHS Boys’ Varsity Volleyball team hosted their first non-league game against Archbishop Mitty. Following the match, they played Saint Francis and Branham. Both of these resulted in losses, but LGHS volleyball went to an impressive five sets versus Saint Francis. On Mar. 8, boys’ varsity participated in a tournament in San Mateo. They beat Hillsdale 2-0 to start out the day. In a close competition versus The International School of San Francisco, LGHS volleyball lost 2-1. However, they bounced back to beat Aragon 2-0 and then Saint Ignatius 2-1. These results gave the varsity Wildcats a record of 3-1 in the tournament, placing them second overall. In previous seasons, the team hadn’t performed as well at tournaments as they would have liked, making a successful performance at a tournament a main goal for a lot of players. Junior Gracin Ting allocated the success to “new players who are very talented.”

The team’s chemistry plays a key role in the series of accomplishments they made this season. From bonding in practice, long days at tournaments, and gatherings after school, the varsity boys have become a cohesive team. Junior Sean Slover shared, “We had a team bonding recently which made us feel a lot closer.”

Another contributor to their success is daily practice, as players spend two hours in the gym, first working on skill work and then moving onto six on six scrimmages. Ting described, “It helps us simulate real game scenarios.” They often listen to music when allowed to improve their energy.

Their first league game took place on Mar. 12 against Lynbrook, and the Cats expected a challenge. Ting said, “They should be pretty good, but I think we played really good at this tournament so if we continue that then we should be fine.” This momentum led them to a 3-0 win against Lynbrook and two days later, a 3-1 win versus Cupertino. Their next match was on Mar. 19 at home versus Harker, a game many players claimed they were looking forward to. Slover added, “I have a few friends on Harker and they are a good team. One of their coaches is my club coach so it’ll be a fun game.” The match unfortunately ended in a 2-3 loss to Harker, but LGHS put up a tough fight, forcing the game to go all the way to five sets. However, the team bounced back with another 3-0 victory over Lynbrook, refusing to give up any sets to the opposing team. Their next match is scheduled for Apr. 1 at Soquel High School. 

So far, the team has reached their goal of performing well in tournaments and continues to show significant improvement. With a 3-1 record in league, LGHS Boys’ Volleyball is set up for a successful season.

Jtnavidad