Although the Los Altos High girls volleyball team lacks experience (three seniors) and size (one player over 6 feet), coach Peter Kim is confident the Eagles possess other traits that can lead to a successful season.
“This group embraces playing defense and hustling,” he said. “I think that will carry us.”
Only time will tell if that will be enough to carry Los Altos into league title contention and a deep playoff run, which Kim called “our goals every year.” Last season, the Eagles finished fourth in the SCVAL De Anza Division and advanced as far as the Central Coast Section Division I semifinals.
Five players on that 23-14 team have graduated, including three starters: first-team all-leaguers Emma Symon, Carolyn Dormady and Kaitlyn Cuppett. The trio combined for 700 kills last year.
That leaves outside hitter Kaitlyn Lee as Los Altos’ top returning point producer. The senior totaled 143 kills a season ago, and Kim said, “She’s getting more comfortable playing all the way around.”
The coach is also counting on two new starters – sophomore right-side hitter Stella Pruette and freshman outside hitter Aviya Russo – to put up points. Kim anticipates Lee and Pruette will lead the team in kills, with Russo – who he said, “has a lot of potential” – evolving into a double-digit spiker.
“The hitters are coming around,” Kim said. “It will be a team effort. We’ll need a lot of players to contribute.”
That includes middle blockers Ruby Border and Lilah Marble, two sophomores new to varsity. Marble is the team’s tallest player at 6-foot-1; Border stands 5-10.
“The speed of the game is a lot faster (at the varsity level),” Kim said, “but I expect them to catch on quickly.”
The coach said he knows what he’ll get from setter Megan Wong – an all-league honorable mention selection in 2021 – on the court, but he’s also asking her to embrace the role of being a team captain.
“I expect more leadership from her as a senior who’s been with varsity since she was a freshman,” he said. “I want her to pass on the culture at Los Altos to the younger players.”
Lee and libero Shannon McCabe, another senior, also serve as captains this season.
“Shannon’s been great so far – she’s embraced being one of the leaders,” Kim said. “I don’t question her play on the court; I know she’s going to bring it.”
The Eagles are off to a 3-0 start – sweeping Terra Nova, Lynbrook and Wilcox in non-league play – but the schedule will only get tougher once De Anza Division play commences next week. There may not be a better public-school league in the CCS than the De Anza.
“I think Palo Alto will be right there, along with Los Gatos,” Kim said when asked about the top title contenders. “I hope we’ll be in the mix as well.”
Los Altos is scheduled to visit Leland 7 p.m. today and open league 6:45 p.m. Tuesday at home against Palo Alto.
