Is that the sound of a splash in the pool? Nope. Is that a quarterback yelling “HIKE!”? Not quite… That’s the sound of a sharp smack echoing across the court.
This season, Poly’s girls varsity volleyball team, led by head coach Katrina Damasco, has maintained an overall record of 16-3 and a record of 10-0 in the Prep League. Asserting their dominance on the court, the girls are focused on building team chemistry while also looking forward to the CIF playoffs.
Strength and team spirit proved to be areas in need of growth, both of which the team has tackled over time. “I think we’ve lost because we were still building our team chemistry, specifically on the court, and learning to trust each other’s skills enough to flow together better,” said freshman middle blocker Hannah Arrieta.
With half of the team new to the varsity level, the Panthers had their work cut out for them this season. Over time, they have adapted to each other’s playing styles, further shaping them into a formidable and cohesive team. Whilst adjusting to the novel spike of freshmen to varsity, they have developed their greatest strengths: consistent energy and the ability to overcome any challenge through teamwork. Senior captain Ellie Chu said, “We have each other’s fullest support, allowing us to connect and click easily.”
A big step in building team chemistry was the team retreat to Newport Beach in August. “It was so much fun and felt great to connect with my new teammates, since as a freshman, I didn’t know too many of them that well,” said Arrieta. “Once I announce the Varsity team, we take a weekend to figure out who we are as a team and what we stand for.” adds Damasco, “After the retreat, we try to instill those values and reinforce everything that was discussed in our everyday practices and games.”
During their competitive game against Flintridge Prep on September 3, when the team eventually took the victory (3-1), the girls were forced to adjust to the opposition while being noticeably fatigued due to the tiring duration of the game. Damasco reports, “They [Flintridge Prep] changed their game strategy, and it was a matter of us identifying that and adjusting. I think we made really great adjustments; we just ran out of time. But we continued on to the fourth set in learning and adjusting, and it proved to be successful.”
With CIF around the corner, the team is still setting goals to further refine their game. Maintaining a strong full-game mentality and concentration are critical. Towards the tail end of games, the team’s mentality can wane, so the players are working on exercises to remain mentally fresh throughout. Because intentionality is critical to success on the court, the team reinforces its commitment to 100% effort regularly.
“We have our most important games in the next couple of weeks to determine our position in the league and CIF, which is where we will hopefully implement this mentality,” said sophomore Michelle Xu.
As the end of the season nears in a few weeks, the team hopes to continue its victorious streak with a primary goal of winning the Prep League and advancing to CIF. With their last official season game on Wed., Oct. 15, against Arcadia High School the Panthers hope to enter CIF as Prep League champions.
