CCS volleyball team continues to shine
To be number three in anything, you must be good. But to be No. 3 in the nation, you must be great. The CCS volleyball team is just that and more.
This program has been a powerhouse for years, and this year is no different. Volleyball Coach Mike Carter has led this team to a record of 27-4, landing No. 3 in the nation. They are led by a plethora of D1 commits, including Baylor commit Sydney Whisenton, TCU commit Claire Bolton, Colgate commit Esther Royal-Priest, ACU commit Jordynn Ash, Cal commit Breya Dawson, UT Arlington commit Jocelyn Chambliss, LSU commit Sara Gonzalez, Texas Tech commit Zoe Fuqua, Northwestern commit Piper Pease, UNLV commits Brooke Oney and Senahla Thomas, and USMMA commit Vanessa Perez.
They have the most amount of D1 commit players of any high school in the nation, with more still to come.
"It's rewarding to see that their hard work pays off, and it's exciting for the younger kids to watch on television and see kids playing for National Championships," Coach Carter said.
With their most recent tournament, they finished three with a tough loss to No. 1 ranked team, California's Mater Dei, in the Durango Fall Classic. They went to the wire in a fierce three set that ultimately ended their run and left them wanting more.
"I think our loss that put us at a number three in the nation is something that we all want to go back and change," Royal-Priest said.
"We lost by two points. That just shows, like, that we can compete up there with those really good teams," Bolton added.
This team is full of talent and incredibly skillful players, but what puts them above most of the nation is chemistry and trust. Without it, you can't be a team.
"You take responsibility on yourself to do your own job because that builds trust when you show up every day and do the same things," Royal-Priest said. "I think trust is something we work on every day. Like, I trust Claire; she trusts me."
"Everyone works just as hard on and off the court," Ash said.
Teams like this are very special and to be able to coach them would be an honor. Coach Carter was fortunate enough to be that person.
"It's been a blessing. Many coaches will go a lifetime hoping to coach a few kids like this," Carter said. "I'm fortunate to have an entire team full of talented, bright, dedicated young ladies."
In their last tournament of the season, Nike Tournament of Champions, they secured second place in the national bracket after falling 2:1 to No. 1 Mater Dei. They finished the season 34-5, ranked No. 3 in the nation. Though they didn’t end at No. 1, they still had a successful season and finished strong with a 3-2 win over Midway to end their season.
"Our goal is to try to be the best in the country and represent Cornerstone," Carter said.
Photos courtesy Eric Francis
About the Contributor
Ethan Mendoza, Co-Sports Editor
Ethan Mendoza is a senior at CCS who plays on the soccer team and loves to laugh and joke. He loves sports and wants to someday be a sports journalist. His strong work ethic and ability to meet deadlines make him a valuable newspaper staff member. He hopes to improve his communication with others and knows being on the newspaper staff will help him reach this goal.
