Cheers echoed through the gym as the seniors for McLean’s boys volleyball team took to the floor on Oct. 14, arm in arm, for their final regular season game as Highlanders. Surrounded by teammates, family, and friends, the soon-to-be graduates were showered in gifts and photos to commemorate their time with the team.
“Senior night always holds a special place in my heart,” Assistant Coach Jason Fehr said. “All of the senior’s loved ones coming out to show their support, as well as the amazing presents given to the players made for an electric atmosphere. It was a very special moment for our senior players to remember.”
After the Senior Night festivities concluded, the Highlanders turned on their game faces to prepare for their match against the Meridian Mustangs. With McLean riding a three game win streak into their matchup with the Mustangs, their focus has been finishing the regular season strong and riding their momentum into the postseason.
“We’ve been one of the strongest teams in the state all year long,” Senior Opposite Hitter Quinn Nolan said. “Our capabilities have been very well-known, and we all share the same goal of winning together each and every game.”
The Highlanders made swift work of the Mustangs in the first set, winning the set with a score of 25-14 in a blink of an eye. Fitting with the theme of the night, Nolan, and the other two senior players on the team, Evan Li and Zolo Ganzorig, showed off their talents and abilities by combining for the majority of the Highlanders points.
“I think our first set really set the entire tone for the match. Nolan said. “We were getting kill after kill, and the seniors were firing on all cylinders, we were on a roll.”
The Highlanders felt a slight bit of discomfort in the second set, with the Mustangs rumbling back to reach a score of 6-6 at a point in the second set. From that moment on, the Highlanders kicked themselves into a new gear in which they outscored Meridian 19-10, to capture the second set 25-16.
McLean continued their dominance in the third set, claiming the final points needed to sweep the match in just 20 minutes with a score of 25-13. Appropriately for Senior Night, both Li and Nolan contributed to the final point of the game to help finish off the Mustangs.
“I really enjoyed our game tonight, especially getting to join in on several players with the other seniors on the team,” Senior Setter Evan Li said. “This team has been like a second home to me, and I’ve been so grateful to be a part of this community for the past three seasons.
After the game, Highlander players and families celebrated on the court with hugs and photos to commemorate the special game. Players and families were also surprised as coaches and parents brought in a plethora of Georgetown Cupcakes for all to enjoy.
“It was such an awesome feeling to have so many people show their support tonight,” fan and team mom Sapna Lahiff said. “The flowers, the decorations, the cupcakes, I loved being able to watch it all.
The Highlanders will head to Herndon to take on their Hornets on Thursday Oct. 16, a team that they narrowly beat earlier in the season. They will conclude the regular season with a rivalry matchup against the Langley Saxons before heading into the postseason, looking to lock up the top seed in the Liberty District.
“One of our top priorities is closing out the district matches strong,” Fehr said. “We want to lock up the top seeds throughout all of the playoffs. Our goal is to storm into the postseason, and have another stellar run deep into the playoffs like we did last year.
