Tommy Waller
Staff Writer
Over the summer, Mira Costa’s girls volleyball team placed first out of 16 schools in the 34th annual Ann Kang Invitational Volleyball Tournament in Honolulu.
The Mustangs lost one game throughout the Ann Kang tournament, losing to Santa Margarita in the third game of pool play. They avenged this loss in the final when they defeated Santa Margarita in the second game. Junior Kelli Berry said the final against Santa Margarita was a huge win for the team.
“We were unlucky the first game against Santa Margarita,” Berry said. “But thankfully we ended up beating them in the finals in only two games.”
The tournament ran from August 11 to August 13, with 6 schools from California, 3 schools from Texas, and 7 schools from Hawaii competing. Senior Amanda Montag thought having such a diverse group of teams made the tournament all the more enjoyable.
“Having teams from different states made it a fun challenge for our team,” said Montag. “It was fun to play against teams that were trained in a completely different environment from us and had their own unique style of play.”
Link: Ann Kang Invitational Volleyball Tournament
The team played 9 matches in total, with some games back to back. Team mom Stephanie Dubinski believes that the trip was an enjoyable and unforgettable experience.
“The trip was an amazing opportunity for the girls,” Dubinski said . “They were able to show off all of their hard work as they won the tournament.”
The tournament lasted only 3 days, but the players spent a whole week in Hawaii. Montag believed that this allowed players to bond by helping both the team chemistry and morale.
“Going on such a fun trip helped everyone stay happy,” Montag said. “We shared rooms and ate together so we were constantly together allowing us to become closer as a team.”
During the free days in Hawaii, the players found numerous ways to fill their time. Sophomore Caroline McQuiggan said that the team enjoyed swimming, going to the beach, and watching the summer olympics every night.
“Hawaii as a whole was an amazing experience,” McQuiggan said. “We not only played very well on the court, but we also had a lot of fun enjoying everything that Hawaii has to offer.”
In years past, the Mustangs would go to the Ann Kang invitational tournament every other year. Next year however the team will be competing again because of this year’s win. Berry believes that this will help keep everyone’s spirit high in the offseason next year.
“Usually we don’t get to go two years in a row,” Berry said . “Personally I am really excited because I will get to bond with my teammates all over again next year.”
After a win in such an established tournament, the Mira Costa girls volleyball team is looking forward to a very exciting season. Dubinski believes that they have a chance to go far this season.
“The team did really well in the tournament,” Dubinski said. “And now it can look forward to competing hard in both Bay League and CIF.”
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