By Alex Edel
After the loss of key starter Sean Berman â09, the boysâ volleyball team will enter its last week of regular season play with a league record of 5-3 and an overall record of 13-7-2.
The team plays Crespi Thursday in its last league game of the season. The boys lost to Crespi earlier in the season 3-0 but the team has been “playing together as a team in general. We have pretty good chemistry,” Matt Bagnard â09 said.
The team lost to Loyola twice this season, first on Loyolaâs home court.
“The first time we played them, we stepped onto the court and were petrified,” Bagnard said. “They were much bigger than us. As soon as the game started didnât think we had a chance to win.”
After acquiring several cards earlier in the season the coach had warned the team that there would be repercussions from the administration. During the Loyola game last Thursday Berman was given two red cards and Bagnard received a yellow card. As a result, Bagnard lost his senior privledges for one week and was suspended for one game, according to Bagnard.
“Earlier in the season the only way to make the team play well was to get really pumped up, and I picked up a couple cards in the process,” Berman said.
“There were two questionable calls and the ref gave me two red cards and I had to leave the gym,” Berman said, “After the game I was expecting to be suspended for a game because that is the rule according to CIF. I went to talk to my coach and he told me that I was suspended for the rest of the season and then wouldnât speak to me anymore about it.” Berman said he got the cards for arguing calls with the referee.
“I was confused both times [I got the red card for arguing calls with the referee] and I guess that she was also confused,” Berman said. Berman met with Head of Athletics Audrius Barzdukas and Athletic Director Terry Barnum.
“I then had a meeting with [Barzdukas] and Barnum and they didnât really give me a good reason for it,” Berman said. “I am happy not to be playing volleyball anymore because the program has not really treated me well in the last couple of days.”
The athletic department refused to comment on the situation.
“Sean and I are very passionate about volleyball and we both get carried away,” Bagnard said. “Sometimes we say things that we donât mean.”
The team voted on two new captains to replace Bagnard and Berman Monday.
