Good news for boys' volleyball team despite outcome

Dobranov (left), Hamade (14) / Din Islam

The High School for Math, Science, and Engineering boys’ volleyball team scrimmaged against Hillcrest High School on March 20, 2014 at City College's Nat Holman Gymnasium. Despite losing in all four sets, the Dragons demonstrated they have the capability for success in the upcoming season.

The Dragons struggled to find a rhythm early in the first set. The biggest problem seemed to be their defense. The Hawks went on several runs including a seven point streak in the first set. In fact, many of the Dragons points in the first round came from the few mistakes by the Hawks.

“I feel like our team has more experience,” senior Hawk captain Tsetan Namgyal said. “I think the team we played right now can improve more. ... They could get better at the basic stuff.”

During the second set, the Dragons had more control on offense. Senior setter Spencer Sharp did a better job finding teammates for kills, but there was still something missing. There was a clear need for better communication, as Hillcrest was easily audible on each play, yet the Dragons were surprisingly silent.

The third round was like a whole new game for the Dragons. They opened up on a 10-4 run and seemed to finally click as a team. Passes seemed more fluid and the Dragons reduced their mistakes. In fact, the score ended at an impressive 25-23, just in favor of the Hawks.

“We just found the sweet spot,” Sharp said. “All of a sudden I just knew how to set well and we got that synergy. Once we started to get closer, the intensity increased so everyone wanted to do better.”

The final set was a great spectacle, as both teams used this as an opportunity to play their back-ups. The scoring back and forth, resembling a basketball game, with the lead changing hands multiple times during the set. The 25-22 score was a great demonstration of how the Dragons second team fought hard and put all their energy into the last round.

The improvement during the game wasn’t the only surprise. Two players made unexpectedly huge contributions to the game. Throughout the game, junior libero Evgeni Dobranov displayed amazing focus and determination defensively. His efforts on the court earned him the nickname “Delibero” by the other team.

“Delibero stood out to me,” Hawks coach Gisele Ruiz said. “He was hustling. He picked up a lot of balls that we could have put down. So [he] made a really good impression on me.

Also noted by Hillcrest's coach was sophomore middle blocker Hussein Hamade.

"[He] was very impressive," she said. "He had really good hands for such a young age.”

The season hasn’t even started and rookie sophomore Hamade is demonstrating valuable skills. Hamade did splendid on offense. His attacks improved as the game progressed and he was a big part of the Dragons’ offense.

“Hussein played really well,” Dragons coach Nick Diunte said. “He got some blocks and kills. I mean he wasn’t even in the plan. I thought he was going to be the backup. He’s really filled that role nicely and is learning everyday, and showing it too.”

With more practice and games, the team will only improve their fundamentals and stop the mistakes that plagued the early sets of this match. It is still possible for the Dragons to continue their successes, despite being placed in the A-Division.