Will Suh ’24 tools a block from Andover High School.
3/28 – Andover: 1, Andover High School: 3 (Sets)
In the season opener, Boys Volleyball suffered a loss against Andover High School. With the addition of many new players this year, the team will use the experience as an opportunity to improve and effectively integrate the new players.
Brandon Fu ’25, one of the new players on the team this year, noted that the team is determined to help everyone find their own unique areas of expertise. In the following days, Andover will continue to solidify its team chemistry.
Fu said, “It’s definitely a transition… A lot of awesome Lower players that bring so much energy and fun into practice and games. We are still finding our footing. We are trying to get better with every practice and really work on technique and chemistry within the group, and I think that having new players is inevitable, but also a blessing to have so many awesome guys ready to step in and have fun.”
William Suh ’24 credited Will Oh ’26 for his defensive prowess and hard work. He also highlighted returning member Arthur Wu ’25 for his well rounded skillset.
“I think Will Oh stood out, especially because it’s his first year at Andover as a new Lower. I think his defensive performance was amazing. I also thought Arthur Wu was another amazing player today. He had a couple great kills and spikes as our middle blocker and a couple good blocks so I am proud of him too,” said Suh.
In preparation for its first game, the team concentrated on both offensive and defensive strategy, prioritizing foundational techniques and skills to strengthen their play. Fu highlighted the team’s dedication to instill confidence into players and its plans for improvement as the season unfolds.
“This week, we have been working on a couple of fundamentals of volleyball… In game, it definitely has continued to be a challenge. We are still very early in the season, and I have faith in the guys that we are going to pull through in these next few games, but the work that we have put into practice has definitely shown in the games. It is only up from here and hopefully we will see some positive results in the coming weeks,” Fu said.
Suh shared similar sentiments, noting that the team’s practices revolved around training essential volleyball plays.
Suh said, “One of the things we talked about was closing the block. It is really important that our middles close the block with our pin hitters when we are blocking the other opponent’s spikes. We also focused a lot on serve and receive during practices. I think our team is gradually getting better in those aspects but there is still room for improvement as well.”
Despite the 1-3 loss, Fu emphasized positive aspects that the team hopes to continue nurturing throughout the season. He praised the team for its energy during the game and its ability to keep mental composure even during stressful situations.
Fu said “Our bench was awesome today, we had a lot of energetic cheers. We have awesome guys who lead the way and keep our heads level. It’s a pretty mental game and it is pretty mentally taxing to put one point behind you and focus on the next. I am grateful that we have cool headed, calm, ready, and collected guys who are ready to lead us through thick and thin.”
Looking ahead, Fu highlighted how the team will address areas that could use special attention, with the central goal of creating a strong foundation to build upon.
Fu said, “We will study film, and one of my teammates, Jonathan Jin, has a saying that he repeats in practice. He says ‘the little things’ and it is a lot of the little things. I think we are really close to being a great team and cohesive unit… We have to focus on tidying up the little things, whether that be closing blocks, getting serves in, transitioning quickly, and knowing where we are supposed to be. Once we get those little things down we will be unstoppable.”
Boys Volleyball will play Lawrence High School at home on Friday.
