After losing five matches in a row against tough opponents to start their season, the Cats have successfully landed on their feet, emerging victorious in three of their last four matches.

From the jump, the team faced difficult circumstances. A change in coaching staff and a lack of familiarity between players left the team disconnected, a grave threat in a sport where communication is the key to victory. They faced several of the top teams in the county in their first five matches, dropping the ball in each to reach a record of 0-5.

But in early April, the team’s momentum began to shift in the right direction. Despite facing a long string of defeats, the team had grown closer together.

“As we played, our chemistry on the court improved a lot,” senior captain Bella Li said. “The coach was able to find out what we were good at and play our lineup to our strengths.”

The turning point of the season came in their match against the Wootton Patriots on April 10. Despite the Patriots holding a superior record, the Cats dominated them 3-0, earning their first victory of the year and reigniting their motivation to succeed.

“It was tough getting the team’s morale back up. But once we beat Wootton, we all got hyped and wanted to win more games,” junior captain Nousha Motamedi said. “They’re not an easy team to beat, and we swept them.”

The Cats carried that momentum into their next several matches, taking down Whitman 3-1 on April 16 and sweeping Paint Branch 3-0 on April 21. Their only loss since defeating Wootton has been against the Churchill Bulldogs, who are currently ranked 2nd in the county.

The team will take on the Blake Bengals in their next match on Thursday, April 23 and look to defeat the Einstein Titans at home on April 30. Due to MCPS’ recent decision to discontinue Co-ed Volleyball after this season, their match against the Titans will be their last ever.

“I hope we can make the most out of all of the games and continue improving every day,” Li said.