By Omar Guerrero Posted April 24, 2013
The club volleyball team this season has done very well in their last couple of tournaments. Their most recent tournament was in Auburn, California. The team played in the 18-year-old division while they’re used to playing in the 16-year-old division.
“We played very well against much older girls, we kept up and gave them a good game,” said Darion Iturriaga.
The team did not however come out on top but came out with a better sense of how good these other teams can be. Their coach, Mary Kay Ports, wanted to give them a challenge by moving them up in the age group this tournament since they’ve been dominating and winning almost all of the 16-year-old tournaments they have participated in.
The team consists of Darion Iturriaga, Payton Naveron, Ashlee Barron, Jillian Albright, Juliana Velasco, Lindsey Pate and new members Sierra Theide, Meg Montero, and Maddie Montero.
This is the team’s second year playing club volleyball. Last year the team was able to win the NCVA Area League National Championship and is hoping to do that again.
“We have many diverse players on our team, we have amazing setters, powerful hitters, and strong diggers. One thing that sets us apart from all the other teams is our ability to communicate so well on the court. We are so close outside of volleyball that when we step onto the court it is natural for us to play together. We know each other’s weaknesses and strengths, and can pick each other up when we are down,” said Iturriaga.
The team’s next tournament will also be the closest one to home. The Far Westerns Tournament will be held in Reno, NV on April 26-28. The team will be playing with almost all of their players. In past tournaments, players have been injured or been busy and not able to travel with the team.
The Trend Setters hope to be very successful and look to come home with a title.
