UC High’s Boys Volleyball Team is set to have a winning record this season with a skilled lineup and strong team chemistry helping them compete with challenging opponents.

   According to Maxpreps, the team faces tough competition within League this season, including schools such as Francis Parker School, Cathedral Catholic High, and Point Loma High (maxpreps.com). “Francis Parker was definitely our toughest League game. We beat them once on their home court in a 3-2 match and lost to them at home as well,” explained Sophomore Middle Blocker Andrew Roosnovo. Fortunately, UC High was still able to take the League title as they were able to maintain a better League record than Cathedral.

   Despite facing notably strong teams within their conference, it is clear that this year’s team is able to hold their own. Bouncing back from a 11-21 season in 2018, the team is currently 21-11 overall, 6-1 in City Western League, and are setting their sights on the League Title (maxpreps.com).

   Senior Outside Hitter Connor Martin noted that facing such strong competition has been one of the major highlights of the season, “We’ve played pretty well against strong teams in some tournaments. We took fifth place in the La Jolla Mixer tournament and the teams we lost to were some of the top teams in San Diego.”

   Much of this success can be owed to the strength of the lineup and versatility of the athletes. With players who are able to play a multitude of positions, the team is able to run a well-rounded offense. “[Senior] James McMillan is primarily a setter, but also helps the team as an opposite hitter, racking up a lot of kills,” said Roosnovo. According to Junior Outside Hitter Blaise Adona, players have also been able to step up and play different positions, and have performed exceptionally well to maintain a strong overall record.

   Adona emphasized the importance of chemistry to the team. “Everyone is really there to help each other and improve as a team. About half of the team plays club volleyball in the off season, and provides additional knowledge to help the team as a whole progress. It’s a really laid-back environment and we just have a lot of fun,” said Adona.

   With an impressive run in League and overall record thus far, the team anticipates a strong season of CIF play.  The team currently stands in Division 1, but, as mentioned by Beresford, is shooting for a spot in Open Division for the CIF tournament. “I think if we maintain a good attitude, keep a level head, and strong work ethic, then we’ll be able to have a solid run,” Adona elaborated. As stated by Martin, this might be the first time the program would secure a position in Open.

   To advance their level of play in preparation for the remainder of League and into CIF, Roosnovo put emphasis on defensive strength. “Though we’re pretty aggressive on the net, I think that taking our defense to the next level will help us elevate our play for the rest of the season,” said Roosnovo.