HSMSE Dragons show their lack of experience in a tough loss to Brandeis

Coach Diunte (l.) with his team's three seniors / Monicka Chang

In an exciting boys' volleyball match at the Nat Holman Gymnasium on April 29th  the Brandeis Bulldogs upset the HSMSE Dragons for their first win of the season. The Dragons looked good from the beginning of the game, and at one point were up by seven, but the Bulldogs clawed their way back to a convincing 27-25, 25-19 win.

In their previous meeting. the HSMSE boys’ volleyball team defeated the Brandeis Bulldogs on April 13th; however, they were not able to close out the first set in what appeared to be the young team showing their inexperience. This played a part in how the team approached the second set, with the team continuing to make the same mental lapses that caused them to give up a big lead in the first set. This gave the feeling that they were playing defeated from the start of the second set.

This is not the first lead the Dragons have given up this season; it has been a constant problem for half of the Dragons league’s games. Coach Nick Diunte feels it’s not such a physical problem, but more of a mental struggle for the team.

“I think a lot of it is mental at this point," Diunte said in a post game interview. "I think just mentally they need to have the wherewithal to finish plays and be confident enough to take their best swing."

The Dragons learned a valuable lesson from this loss and look to bounce back in their upcoming games with a different mindset.

Contributed by Henry Schoenfield and Mohammed Kabir

Hall of Famer Omar Vargas returns to CCNY

Louis Brandeis’ boys’ volleyball coach Jose Omar Vargas returned to CCNY, coaching his team to a narrow 27-25, 25-19 victory over the High School for Math, Science, and Engineering on April 29. Vargas was inducted into CCNY’s Hall of Fame in 2009 after starting the college’s mens’ volleyball team, and winning both the CUNY mens’ and womens’ championships.

Jose Omar Vargas points to his Hall of Fame plaque / N. Diunte

“Quite frankly it is like returning home,” Vargas said.

Brandeis' captain and outside hitter Joel Ortiz played extremely well, recording five digs and nine kills. Vargas praised Ortiz after the game.

“He’s always hustling on the court, talking to the kids and making them better,” Vargas said. “He’s a true leader and I love him for that.”

Vargas has transformed Brandeis into a school where volleyball is a popular sport, with more people trying to make the team. Coach Vargas has also established a work-hard philosophy for the team.

“I have the reputation of being a disciplinarian,” he said. “I’m a nice guy, but I don’t play any games. If you give me your time, I’m going to respect you.”

Although Vargas has retired from teaching at Brandeis, he continues to coach the boys’ volleyball team. He cites his true love for the game as the reason he keeps coaching.

“I’m no longer coaching to win a game, I’m coaching for life,” he said. “That’s my legacy; to make young people better, to appreciate the game, and to enjoy it for life.”

Contributed by Michael Stern and Velid Mulic