The girls varsity volleyball team ended the season with a record of 6-8.

Coach Marie Chaparro said the season was up and down. The team wasn’t consistent, and the girls fell apart once they made mistakes because they wouldn’t believe in themselves.

Co-captain Joyce Alvarez said when team members were off, the rest of the players tried to cheer them up and got them to keep going.

Joyce talked about it being her first year of joining the team and how at first it was “intimidating,” but she felt proud that her previous years of playing volleyball paid off.

“All I wanted was to play and make friends and that’s what happened,” she said.

Coach Chaparro said she will miss the seniors, since most of them have been playing for three or four years on the team.

When asked about co-captain Lluviccia Gomez, Coach said “she has volleyball in her blood, girls want to be like her.”

Lluviccia is a good role model as well, always willing to help any girl who needs it.

“No doubt she helped me improve my skills,” Joyce said. “She is a great player.”

The team held its annual breast cancer fund raiser game on Nov. 1. The varsity played against volleyball alumni, who were joined by team managers Frank Cabrera and Abdulkabir Yahya. The alumni team won.

JV volleyball team members Rachael Feazelle, Michelle Villanueva and Kimberly Degante (pictured at right) and other players on the freshmen, JV and varsity teams have been working out for weeks.

Athletic director and girls softball coach Robin Russon stepped in this season to coach volleyball with varsity coach Marie Chaparro.

At summer practice. Photo by Monica Laddaran.

The JV Streaks first win was against North Grand on August 27. Photo by Monica Laddaran

The Streaks played Prosser at home on Sept. 8.

Photo by Lesli Avila

Photo by Lesli Avila

Photo by Lesli Avila

I couldn’t be prouder – the boys junior varsity volleyball team has gone undefeated with a record of 9-0.

They are a good set of boys, such a good young talented group. They hold positive spirits and look out for each other.

Congrats again boys. Next stop, city playoffs.

Thanks Jem Macalisang and Coach Darrin Sorokti for your help this year. 

By Claudette Purisima

The Steinmetz Lady Streaks volleyball team is in a close race for the number one spot of the conference.

Varsity and junior varsity volleyball Streaks.

The varsity and junior varsity team has won 10 of 13 games so far against tougher teams than last year because the Streaks moved up in their division. The Streaks have beat Juarez, Prosser, Amundsen, Kelvyn Park, Roosevelt, and Rickover.

The Streaks play number one Senn for a second time on Thursday, Oct. 2. They lost to Senn in a close 3-set game, missing out by 23-25 in the final game. Revenge is highly awaited, so go cheer them on for a gruesome match! In the previous game the Streaks played well and took a lot of risks.

“We attempted to play the game at a much higher level (pass,set,hit) while they were satisfied with simply bumping it over the net,” Coach Darrin Soratki said. “There is a greater chance of making a mistake playing our way than their way. Said another way, they played it safe and won, while we took a risk and lost. I’m glad we took the risk.”

Coach Soratki has high expectations for the team and is satisfied by the way the team represents Steinmetz. Props to Coach Soratki for leading his team to an impressive path.

Varsity and junior varsity volleyball Streaks. Star photo by Marisha Reynolds.

The chemistry of this years varsity and junior varsity teams is heartwarming. The varsity team always plays its games first before JV starts, but they still stay even after 5 p.m. at Steinmetz, filling the gym with clapping, cheers, yelling, and “Ooooooo aceee!”

The sportsmanship and support system with the Lady Streaks are nothing like the previous teams. Everyone who goes to the games witnesses the smiles and positivity throughout the court.

The captain of the 2014 Lady Streaks volleyball team is to Adrianna Latuszek. She previously played on a much more skilled and intense volleyball team back in Poland as a libero with girls twice her size, when she’s 5’6. (A libero stays in the back row, bumping the ball into play for others in the front to spike.)

Adrianna is the MVP of the Varsity team no doubt. She is always in the starting six on the court, staying in for two sets or three when a tie happens, basically for the entire game.

The talent in her is obviously high due to the reactions of the bystanders and opposing teams  (including the other coaches) at games once she serves and especially when she spikes the volleyball for a kill.

The new seniors (of the Class of 2015) are running this year’s varsity team. Even with last year’s seniors graduating, this year’s team has only became better and stronger.

“I feel like we’re doing good, and we’ve already proven to people that we can do more than they ever expected us to,” Adrianna said. “Volleyball is a game and not always the people who are supposed to win are the ones who actually win. There were good and bad moments, but the record is only a reflection of that, not our abilities, because in our best moments and in our true ‘Streaks 2014 style’ game, we are still the best in our conference.”

Coach Darrin Sorokti and the varsity players take a time out in the third set against Prosser on August 29. Star photo.