Carlmont varsity boys volleyball smothered the Hillsdale Knights in a home game on Wednesday. The set scores were 25-17, 25-18, and 25-21.
“Before the game, we talked about having a faster tempo overall and making sure our passing was on par. I think we accomplished that well today,” said Carlmont head coach Daniel Nelson.
The Scots started the game off strong, but the Knights showed early on that they would not go down without a fight. The match began with Carlmont sophomore Jonathan Edwards quickly getting two kills in a row.
The Knights fought back to tie the set 7-7 before the Scots took control. Senior Alexander Mahadew scored the final hit to set the tone for the rest of the match.
“There was a sense of urgency for us to play a little stronger to start, and yeah, the momentum got in our swing,” Nelson said.
With tensions rising, both teams steeled for the second set. The Scots took the lead early at 6-3, but the Knights were far from giving up. After a few plays and a deflection off a Scot, the score evened at 15-15. The tie was short-lived. Mahadew put up a kill, sealing a second set victory.
“We started out the game with good energy and finished it out that way as well,” said sophomore captain Tyler Louie.
The third set looked the most promising for the Knights. The game was tied 8-8 until a chaotic play involving a dive from Carlmont’s lobrero Nicolai Liu gave the Scots the push they needed to finish the game.
The win moves the Scots to a 5-4 record in league and fourth place in the Peninsula Athletic League’s top Bay division and an overall 19-15 record.
This was the Scots’ second time playing and defeating Hillsdale. The first time the teams faced off, it was a much closer match.
“We really want to push in these last few games, especially because we want to go to CCS,” said senior Rohan Rajagopal. “Winning this one is huge. Honestly, I’m really excited to continue the season and push forward into the playoffs.”
The Scots hope to continue their winning ways as they prepare for a crucial three-game stretch against teams that sit ahead of them in the PAL.
The test begins with a Friday home game against PAL leader Menlo-Atherton (9-1), which beat the Scots 3-1 on April 2. Games against San Mateo (6-4) and Burlingame (7-3) close out the regular season.
As the season is starting to wind down, thoughts about next season have started to arise.
“We are going to be a youthful team. It’s going to be mostly juniors. Many of them are getting the experience now. Our JV team is also really strong. I see our varsity team being one of the strongest in the league, if not the strongest, next year,” Nelson said.
Design by Isabella Wilson
