On Wednesday, Feb. 26, the Archie Williams boys varsity volleyball team kicked off their first MCAL game of the season with a thrilling game against the Novato High School Hornets. The Falcons showcased their skill and the new additions to their team, dominating throughout the game and resulting in a 3-0 victory.
The Hornets won the coin toss, starting the game off with energy. Senior outside hitter and Division One commit Zach Wulff delivered many spikes, contributing to the comfortable score gap of 25-17 that ended the first set in the Falcon’s favor.
”I think [the] first set came off strong; we just went out and didn’t care about anything [else.] It’s fun to hit [the] ball hard, but I think watching the team grow is my favorite thing, and seeing the boys get better from one game is really good. If I can leave a legacy [to] one kid that loves the game, I did my job right,” Zach said.
The Falcons remained dominant despite multiple out-of-bounds hits from both teams and the Hornets’ continuous scoring, keeping the score neck and neck. Archie Williams junior setter Max Brasler started the second set strong with an ace and numerous assists, accompanied by multiple kills from Zach, freshman right-side Keenan Clark, and junior outside hitter Duco Nieulant, ending the set with a score of 25-21.
“Keenan really stepped up and played the whole game all the way around, [getting] kills [and] digs. It was [a] really strong performance, and [he] led by example by being able to go out there without as much [experience] but playing through,” said head coach Alex Perelson.
Despite the Hornets’ advantageous start with a first serve and multiple leading kills, the Falcons demonstrated remarkable resilience and communication, securing consecutive kills from Zach and swift spikes from Duco. This kept the game close and the tensions high as the teams tied multiple times throughout the match. Although the teams were neck-and-neck throughout the third set, senior middle hitter James Clark delivered the winning point, securing the win with a score of 25-23.
“[The] first game of the season…fe[lt] great. I think we did pretty well,” James said.
The team’s next game will take place Friday, Feb. 28 at 5 p.m. at home against the San Rafael High School Bulldogs.
“It was exciting…[and] it’s awesome to come out and start the year [with a] win. I have two seniors this year, [and] having their leadership around to help grow the underclassmen is exciting. It would be great to get a lot of support and students cheering on the team,” Perelson said.
