KEARNS, UT — Hillcrest High School’s boys volleyball team played Kearns, securing a strong 3–1 win and continuing to build momentum as the season gets underway.
Despite some early inconsistencies, players feel the team is starting to find its rhythm. “It’s been okay, a few ups and downs,” Eli Santos said. “But we started off weak, and now we’re building up strong.”
The team has set its sights high for the season, with a clear goal in mind. “Our goal is to win region,” Eli said.
However, the road to success hasn’t been perfect. Team chemistry has been an area of focus, with players acknowledging challenges while working to improve. “The chemistry is not so good right now, with people talking about each other,” Eli said. “But we’re fixing that.”
Individually, players are also stepping up to improve their game and leadership. “My goal is to be a leader and get the best passes for this team,” Eli said.
One area of growth has been serve receive, something the team has emphasized in practice. “My receives were really bad last year, but now they’re getting a lot better,” Eli said.
In their recent win over Kearns, the team showed progress, especially in key areas like serve receive and coverage. “I think we did a good job, but there are still a few mistakes we need to fix,” Eli said.
From the coaching perspective, there is a strong sense of optimism about the team’s direction. “The season’s been really good,” coach Roth said. “The boys have been working really hard, and they have the potential to do really well.”
The coach has emphasized communication and teamwork as key goals moving forward. “Communication and working together as a team are big for us,” Roth said. “We want to get it done and get the win.”
After the victory over Kearns, the coach noted improvement in the team’s chemistry. “I think the team chemistry was doing pretty good after that win,” Roth said. “The boys are excited and ready for the rest of the week.”
Defensively, the team continues to focus on strengthening weaker areas. “We have a pretty good offense, but we’ve been working a lot on defense and coverage,” Roth said.
Beyond wins and losses, the coach also emphasized the importance of players’ overall experience. “I want the boys to enjoy themselves and feel fulfilled playing volleyball,” Roth said. “Building those relationships and enjoying the game is important.”
Looking back at the Kearns game, the coach pointed out both strengths and areas for improvement. “Serve receive can improve, especially staying positive after mistakes,” Roth said. “Coverage is getting better, but we need to communicate and make sure everyone is doing their job.”
With a recent win under their belt and a focus on improvement, Hillcrest is moving forward with confidence. As the season continues, the team will look to build stronger chemistry, clean up mistakes, and work toward its goal of becoming region champions.
