In the competitive world of high school sports, every match offers athletes the opportunity to showcase their skills, teamwork and resilience. Last week, the boys volleyball team made it to the playoffs, displaying an unbelievable level of skill and determination despite ending with a loss.
The team made it to the third round of the playoffs. Pace matched up against their rival team, Seward Park Campus, which they had played against twice before.
In the last game of the playoffs, Seward won the first set. In the second set, Pace won. The Pace volleyball team dominated the last set until Seward came back and tied the score at 21. Seward Park won with a close score of 25 to 22.
The boys’ volleyball team ended the regular season with six wins and four losses, two of those from Seward Park Campus.
In spite of these defeats, Pace players had made noteworthy accomplishments. Captains Joseph Landy, senior, and Gerardo Servin, sophomore, tied for 4th place in aces for Manhattan’s division III.
Joseph Landy was first ranking in digs for their division with 104. Gerardo Servin ranked second in kills with 90, and these are not just the only players on the team who showcase a largea large prowess for volleyball.
Chance Thompson, senior, and Farlis Almonte, sophomore, who are also two notable players on the boys Volleyball team, have displayed exceptional skill and are tied for fifth blocks
Ms. O’Sullivan, the coach of the boys volleyball team is a very seasoned coach, and showed her expertise in player development. Coach O’Sullivan said that this year was a bit of a rebuilding year due to the graduating seniors. She hoped that the team would make the playoffs which they succeeded in accomplishing. However, they surpassed that goal by making it to the third round of playoffs.
She made it to the playoffs in her other coaching years of Pace volleyball but missed her first in 2017. Ms. O’Sullivan said, “ There are a lot of boys new to volleyball and the sport. They had to learn new strategies and skills.”
She also explained that “there are so many opportunities [to play or learn to play volleyball] in NYC. Like club teams, there are so many that aren’t hard to find.”
When asked about the future of the team or if she would alter anything about the last few games she assessed, “Not change anything but wished we could have started earlier due to the fact that we don’t always have access to the gym.”
She also said, “The future of the team looks good. We have five starters, and are returning from last year with two. Joseph Landy is one of the best defensive players so it will be hard to lose him.”
Jeff Perez, a freshman on the boys volleyball team who has undeniable skill states that this isn’t his first time playing team volleyball and has three more years of experience. His time with the team was “pretty fun” and getting to know them was even better. His expectations for the team were to get far, and win championships.
With this season starting off with a bang and ending off with a close win in the playoffs, the boys volleyball team is excited to see their potential and growth unfold.\
