On Tuesday, April 2, the varsity boys volleyball team played their fourth game and second home game of the season, coming up just short in a two-set match against the Carmel Corsairs.
The team had started the season with two tough losses, one away against the New Trier Trevians and the other home against the Glenbrook South Titans. Coming off an away win against the Antioch Sequoits, the team was ready for another home game against their crosstown opponents.
For the visiting Corsairs, senior outside hitter Isaac Alvarez (7) served first, with Libertyville junior outside hitter Justin Howell (4) leading the return to give Libertyville the first point of the night, following it up with an ace to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.
“We definitely came together and huddled after each point and talked to each other,” Howell, who has been playing since eighth grade, said. “I definitely kept my head out of the negative. I focused on the positive and the next point.”
The first set was marked by several lead changes and game-tying moments, including two aces by Libertyville sophomore middle hitter Nate Knight (32). Knight, the team’s tallest player at 6 feet 8 inches, gave the home team a narrow 22-21 lead in the last few minutes of the first set, which ultimately saw Carmel close the gap and snag a 25-22 win.
“I think we did a really nice job controlling the tempo of the game,” Head Coach Jenny Smith said. “They definitely have a big weapon on the outside and that’s what we were mostly concerned about controlling. I thought we did a really nice job minimalizing what he could do to us.”
Sophomore libero Jackson Kern (11), in his second year on the varsity team, said that he thought the team did a good job minimizing their errors.
“I thought our passing did a pretty good job and made some great decisions,” Kern, who has been playing since he was 11, said.
The second set started with Libertyville serving first and saw multiple players get kills, or unreturnable attacks, for the home team, including Howell, sophomore outside hitter Connor Desiron (16) and junior middle hitter Jordan Coughlin (40).
Coach Smith, who has been in the position for 10 years, said that she has a goal of the team learning to play better together.
“We got a couple of seniors and a lot of sophomores this year,” Coach Smith said. “None of these guys have really played together at all. If we can get a little bit more cohesive as a team, we’ll be playing excellent by the end of the season and that’s what we hope to do.”
The second set, much like the first, remained very close in its entirety, with multiple lead changes.
In the end, the senior-heavy Corsairs managed to hang onto the lead and win the second set 25-23, ending the night with a two-set victory.
Howell said that he’d like to improve connections and general chemistry for the team.
“One goal that I have is just working as a team, being one unit instead of multiple different players,” Howell said. “Definitely showing that on the court which will definitely show intimidation to the other team.”
Like Howell, Kern said that he’d like to bring the team closer together to improve performance.
“We got to keep working hard at practice,” Kern said, “building chemistry on and off the court.”
The team will next play away against the Warren Township Blue Devils on Wednesday, April 3.