On Tuesday, September 2, Falls Church High School bested Meridian’s Boys Volleyball, winning three sets in a row to secure the victory over the Mustangs. Meridian’s second set was their worst, being outscored 25-15.
Falls Church boasts a student body of roughly 2,100 students, over double Meridian’s. With that compared to the Mustang’s young roster, the defeat is frustrating but not entirely surprising.
Many sports at Meridian are often viewed as an underdog, a simple byproduct of having a fraction of the students that other schools do. After last year, the team lost nine senior varsity players and all five starters, leaving gaping holes in the previously full roster. Despite this, Coach Shannon Hladky is confident that the team can still be successful.
“This is a very young team and while I can set expectations, it’s going to be the older kids that shape the culture of the team,” said Hladky.
Currently, there are only three seniors on the roster, accompanied by two juniors. With players subbing in and out of games frequently, the lack of upperclassmen opens the door for freshmen and sophomores to prove themselves.
Hladky embraces this, especially considering some of the large Fairfax schools on the team’s schedule.
“I love being the underdog, and I know this team has a lot of fight in them.”
The team’s next home game takes place September 8th, vs Herndon High School.
