Boys’ varsity volleyball (4-14, 1-5 Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division) is in the midst of their third official season, having played six games since their season opener against Lowell High School on March 21. Although the team is still getting a feel for the court, and narrowly lost by a score of 0-3, it provided a glimpse into their talent, determination and potential for the season ahead.

“I think we have a lot of great talent on our team, and I’ve seen a lot of growth,” varsity captain Jacob Ngai said. 

The Panthers fought valiantly but were unable to make up an early point deficit in order to come away with a win, however there were still a number of bright spots during the game. Varsity head coach Lawrence Ngai viewed the match as a measure of the team’s readiness for the season.

“It’s not like we were playing someone who’s new to us. They are a really consistent team, and we need to work on some of those items ourselves to be consistent,” Ngai said. “[There are] areas to improve for sure, but having such a good group of players, I can see a lot of potential.”

After the first set passed by, he took the opportunity to regroup and strategize with the team. 

“There’s definitely areas where we lost points where we could have done better if we were more consistent in many ways,” Ngai said. 

Freshman and varsity player Reiter Madden has proved himself to be a valuable asset in the team, showcasing some of the exciting talent and potential that the team has to look forward to throughout this season. Although he is confident about the season ahead, he is aware that there is still improvement to be made.

“I want to expand on my capabilities, making sure that I can really see the court ahead of me and know where I need to be able to target,” Madden said.

Madden’s performance on March 21 revealed the talent and qualities of team members vital to success, as Ngai explained.

“Our energy was really good. Our attitude was really good, and I just feel like we just lacked a little bit of [experience] compared to other teams,” Ngai said.

The team did not feel defeated or discouraged by the loss, and instead analyzed the game to understand how to keep the team focused and make the season a success.

“We realized that a lot of their points were our errors and just things that we lacked a little bit,” junior Jacob Ngai said. 

There are multiple takeaways from the season opener, and the score is far from the whole story. The Panther’s showed their resilience, willpower and ability to remain focused in the midst of adversity, especially against an established and challenging opponent.