Excitement surrounds Delta’s volleyball team as it starts off this year’s season.
Expectations are high as the team sets its sights on the Big 8 Conference and the state tournament.
“We have lofty goals every year of winning [the] conference and making the state tournament,” head coach Molly Mourdaunt-Hummel said. “Our expectations are to play high level volleyball and keep getting better. We want to win that conference and go far in the playoffs.”
The Mustangs started conference competition with a win in three 25-13, 25-13, 25-18 against Cosumnes River on Sept. 17 after playing several non-conference matches at the Hartnell and Delta College Classic tournaments.
Prior to opening the season Mordaunt-Hummel referred to this group of players as one of the best teams she’s ever coached.
“We have more depth on this team than we have probably ever had in my 11 years coaching here which makes it really difficult to roll out a lineup,” she said in an Aug. 27 news release from the athletics department.
Jessica Smith, Angelica Mercado, Karina Fardmanesh, Kaitlyn Morenzone and Kiana Day are the team’s returning sophomores from two years ago, and the Mustangs head coach emphasized the importance of their experience on the roster.
“They provide a lot of maturity for us. They know what it’s like to compete at a high level.” said Mordaunt-Hummel.
In 2019 the Mustangs fell short of making the state championship tournament after falling in the second round of the NorCal Regional Championship to Fresno City.
This year the team is very optimistic about making it to the state championship and competing for the title.
“I believe we have the ability to make it to state, state bound for sure,” said Smith.
While this group of players is just starting to play their first matches together, they have grown closer together off the court months before the start of the season.
“We have great chemistry together,” said Morenzone. “We spend a lot of time together, we team bond all the time. We’re getting to know each other not just as teammates but as friends, which really helps on the court.”
Smith proved herself as one of the team’s key players during her freshman year, getting 118 kills and racking up a total 100 blocks. Morenzone played an important defensive role for the Mustangs with 247 digs as a freshman in 2019.
The team’s preseason showcased the potential of its new players.
Among the freshmen to watch this season are Angela Biazon, Savannah LeBarre and Emma Miller.
Biazon has started the season with 111 digs as the team’s libero. LeBarre and Miller have led the Mustangs on the offensive with 92 combined kills in six matches.
Apart from committing themselves to winning conference and making state, the team is excited to play a full season after being unable to play in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Before the first match I addressed the team and got emotional about it,” said Mordaunt-Hummel. “The unknown of when we were going to return and when I was going to be able to see the girls in-person and to help them academically, guide them, compete with them. To be able to be back is one of the greatest things we could’ve had this year.”