In their first league game of the season, the varsity boys volleyball team beat the San Mateo Bearcats in three sets. This game marks the Scots ninth win, while the Bearcats are on an 8-game losing streak.
“Our record going into our first league game was 8-3, and now we just went 9-3, we’re on a seven-game win streak,” said junior libero Will Won.
The Scots led early in the first set which featured a kill off of a headshot by middle hitter Eli Nathan. In his serving run, junior outside hitter Will Reinschmit helped the Scots increase their lead to 14-5. This lead was kept for the majority of the set, allowing the Scots to win 25-19.
The second set was more evenly matched. The Bearcats were determined to come back, which was shown in their increase of kills and blocks that gave them a 17-13 lead. The Scots quickly picked up their game and tied the game at 23-23.
Determined to win the set, senior opposite hitter Brandt Russon lost his shoe during a block but continued to rally. To gain more traction, Russon ripped his sock off, playing barefoot and helping his team develop a lead.
“I really wanted to get the point because I got set during that point and I wanted to hit it, but I couldn’t hit it as hard,” Russon said. “The only thing going through my mind was to get my sock off so I could keep playing the point.”
I was slipping with it on so I just wanted to rip the sock off and keep playing.
— Brandt Russon
Even after all the commotion, the Scots scored another point and won the second set 25-23.
In the third set, the Scots took another lead of 14-9, which the Bearcats swiftly caught up to. Carlmont’s lead allowed them to put in more of their second-string players, who brought up the energy.
Once the scores got up to the 20’s, the Scots stayed one point ahead and were able to repeat their second-set score of 25-23, completing their third-set win.
“We played great, but we were goofing off too much. Our goal is to go undefeated,” said team captain Kevin Tomita.
Many of the juniors started on this team as sophomores and worked with Coach Dan Nelson last year.
“The cohesiveness of this team, they essentially are all family. I don’t doubt that these young men will be friends for life,” Nelson said.
The Scots will play again on Mar. 24 against the Hillsdale Knights followed by a tournament on Mar. 25.
“The goal is to play some really hard teams in those and make some noise,” Nelson said. “Hopefully we can be in those higher brackets and face the toughest teams and it’ll prepare us for playoffs.”
