Last season’s tightly bonded boys volleyball team will surely move into this season with a winning mindset and hopefully, a winning record.

In the past, boys volleyball has struggled to create a winning culture, but this year, with an already apparent positive team chemistry, the team has completely altered their mentality.

Last year, the team lost to Notre Dame in the regional quarter-final 2-1, after being “mentally unready” for the match. This year, they hope to stress the importance of resilience.

Though it’s only been a few weeks since the season has begun, there is already an obvious difference inside and outside of the gym.

“There is an unspoken agreement that we are going to go that extra mile to better ourselves, for the sake of the team,” senior Nick Rosenfeld said.

The team’s “this is the year” mantra has pushed them to put in the extra effort needed for a winning season. Juniors Chyne Temple and Darius Hunt are two key players that will utilize their extensive knowledge of the game to their advantage. Their selflessness is something that gives them an edge on other teams in the CSL conference.

Though last year’s star Caleb Steege moved on to play volleyball at Rutgers University-Newark, the team plans to compensate with competitive energy and a commitment to the fundamentals.

“A lot of us have been working hard in the off-season with our club teams,” senior Sean O’Hara said. “We hope to go back to the basics of volleyball with serving and passing.”

Their next match is April 3 at Loyola.