The Park Hill boys volleyball team played its inaugural match on Tuesday, March 25, and were quickly humbled on its home court against Lee’s Summity West.
The Trojans were swept in three straight sets against the Titans, who can be viewed as boys volleyball veterans in their second year as a program compared to the Park Hill squad still
learning volleyball nuances. Lee’s Summit West was in control almost all night and gave the Trojans a glimpse of the level they will eventually need to play at if Park Hill wants to make a run in the postseason.
“We were playing one of the top teams in the area,” Park Hill coach Lindsey Hood said. “It was a humbling experience. Our boys will keep getting better with time.”
Park Hill did manage to start on the right foot when senior Kayden Boersma set up Landen Julson for a well-placed hit, winning the first point of Park Hill’s inaugural set. It was all Lee’s Summit West after that as the Titans pulled ahead 20-12 before closing out the opening set 25-17.
Once again, the Trojans got the opening point of the second set until Lee's Summit West gained control. Falling behind 24-11, the Trojans fought back to drop the second set 25-16.
The Titans came out strong in the third set, taking an early 4-0 advantage. The Trojans found some rhythm to score six straight points, including a pair of aces from senior Kayden Boersma, to take a 6-5 lead. It was all Titans after that as they regained momentum and closed out the matchup with a 25-12 triumph in set three.
“It is a tough feeling losing our first home game,” junior libero Santiago Mendoza-Martin said. “We’re just a brand new team and they were already polished. There were some little details that killed us, especially their serves.”
Lee’s Summit West served 10 aces, four coming from senior Trystan Edwards. Boersma helped the Trojans offense with 14 assists while the senior trio of Cam Jones, Jax Hartman and Leo Gayman combined for 12 kills.
“Tonight doesn’t set a tone,” Hood said. “It just shows us where we’re at and where we need to strive to get to.”
While playing volleyball in a formal environment is new for most on the team, it is not new for Mendoza-Martin. He previously played club volleyball and also played when he lived in Mexico.
“This is a standing point where we will go from here up,” Mendoza-Martin said. “Everybody felt what it’s like going against a good team. It's just about getting better every time.”
The Trojans suffered another defeat in straight sets against Rockhurst on March 27 but showed well on March 29 in the Rockhurst Tournament.
Park Hill won its first-ever set in the tournament opener against Grain Valley to earn a 1-1 draw before losing to St. Louis University High School 2-0. The Trojans got their first pair of 2-0 wins against Raymore-Peculiar and Nixa before falling to Central (St. Joseph) 2-1 in the final matchup of the day.
Next up for the Trojans are matchups away to Lee’s Summit on April 1 and home against North Kansas City on April 3 before the Oak Park Tri on April 5.