On Thursday, Oct. 14, 2022, the girls’ varsity volleyball team beat Branson High School during  Redwood’s Senior Night, maintaining their No. 1, undefeated position entering the Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) playoffs. The team dominated Branson, winning three games to one and showcasing all of their hard work in practice to modify, adapt and come out with a win.

With a new coach and mindset for the 2022 season, the tightly knit team has worked on adjusting their defensive tactics and blocking skills in practice, which paid off in their victory. Senior and team captain Emma McDermott references this incredible effort when describing the team’s victory. 

“We’ve worked a lot on our defense and blocking. It was shown super [clearly tonight]; we were shutting down so many hits with our blocks. [For] our middle [players], that was the main thing that they’ve been working on. It’s been insane. They were closing every block,” McDermott said. 

McDermott, who is committed to the University of California Santa Barbara for volleyball, expressed the tremendous effort the team has made and how it has made a difference as they approach their first MCAL game. The team stands undefeated in their league and feels confident in their ability to pull out more wins this season.

One notable difference in the team this year may be attributed to their new coach, Diamond Hollis. Coach Hollis has reinforced ideas of mental toughness and perseverance, which contributes to the team’s success. 

Sophomore and integral team player Ella Moran recognizes the importance of their new coach in the team’s victory and notes the incredible chemistry the team shares. 

“[Coach Hollis has] brought a lot of new energy onto this team, and she’s giving great feedback. It’s helping a lot with our team dynamic,” Moran said. “I think team chemistry is a really important part of volleyball, and I feel like we all are so competitive and want to win this for each other, [so] we all come out firing. This is why we do so well — because we’re so close.”

Another difference in the games this year is the large student section. The theme of the night was neon, and over 100 students came, decked out in neon colors to show their support for the team. This overwhelming support system proved effective in encouraging the girls playing in the game. Senior Kate Giang acknowledges the tremendous support she felt from the student section and how it impacted the team’s performance.

“When I started here at Redwood, I would always get nervous when there was a huge student section, but now, it really fuels our energy as a team. I feel like when we have a huge student section, we play better, and I think it just gives us a lot of energy,” Giang said. “This was the biggest student section I’ve ever seen for a Redwood volleyball game, and knowing that all those people want to come and support us while we play is a great feeling.”

As the team gets closer to their first playoff match of the year, they continue to practice with the same effort, despite being undefeated. McDermott notes the tremendous work that will continue to be given in all practices from now until the end of the season, and how even after coming from a win, their work as a team is never done. This is a mindset that Coach Hollis has instilled in the team, which they call the 212 mindset. At its core, this mindset means to not just sizzle, but to boil and reach one’s full potential.