After a 3-2 victory against Oaks Christian last Tuesday, the boys’ volleyball team will play its second to last Mission League match of the year against rival Loyola Cubs tonight. The Cubs are undefeated and atop the Mission League, while the Wolverines will need a win in order to tie Notre Dame for the third seed.
“I feel like we will handle business against St. Francis and Crespi and can put up a good fight against Loyola,” opposite hitter Marc Shkurovich ’15 said.
In the team’s game against the Oaks Christian Eagles, the Wolverines came out victorious in five sets. Outside hitter Hudson Ling ’15 drilled three aces in a row to end the match at a crucial moment when the squad was down 13-14 in the fifth set.
“The last moments were like any other points in volleyball: serve in and battle,” head coach Adam Black said. “We have been stressing to the guys that no matter what the situation we just want to be good. Not great or spectacular. Just good in every play.”
With the down-to-the-wire victory against Oaks Christian, the Wolverines notched their eighth win of the season to move their overall record up to 8-7-2 and have been able to stay above .500 in the Mission League with a 5-4 record.
“I tried to remain confident and enjoy the excitement of game five,” Ling said. “I just wanted to serve the ball deep, giving us a chance. Stepping back for a moment in a pressured situation, I just went back to the basics to give us a chance to fight and win the game.”
Although the Wolverines lost to Notre Dame in both meetings this year, the squad has played strong in the final stretch of the season, and with victories coming against Loyola and Crespi this week, they will be able to take the third seed from the Knights. Although the team is currently fourth in the Mission League, they will still be considered for a spot in CIF Playoffs come May.
The team will match up against a star-studded Loyola team, which has yet to lose a league match all season for the second year in a row.
The first time the two teams met, the Cubs defeated the Wolverines in a three game sweep in Taper Gymnasium.
“The team has done well this year improving significantly over the last few months,” Black said. “To that end, we are excited for the last stretch of matches and I expect that we will pay up to our potential.”
The Wolverines played St. Francis yesterday, but results were unavailable as of press time. The team defeated St. Francis 3-0 in its first meeting of the season.
