On April 3, the CVHS Boy’s Volleyball team played an unforgettable game against the Strake Jesuit Volleyball Crusaders (TVC) as their first home game of the season. The highly anticipated game drew in over 40 attendees, with supporters for both teams cheering from their seats through each point.
TVC, who held an undefeated record of wins, led the warm ups showcasing their aggressive hits and crafty serves. Strake’s team consisted of many players who not only played for the school but for the Houston Volleyball Academy, a popular volleyball club with locations around Houston.
CVHS opened the set with a hard kill from, captain and D1 commit to Grand Canyon University, Max Philippe. Philippe led the game, communicating with each player and both players and the audience locked into the entire game. The first set was shaky for CVHS as many of the new players were getting accustomed to TVC’s intense offense.
“We knew TVC would be a good opponent, so we just wanted to go out there and play our game. We didn’t want to let them dictate our [plays] so it was important to stay consistent,” Philippe said.
Although down by a few points, CVHS managed to make up points and tie halfway through the first set. However after a tough fight, TVC came out on top winning the set 25-22. Despite the loss, the boys were unfazed and knew they had to come back even harder in the second set.
Both teams played with passion in the second set. The team’s communication went hand in hand with their athletic abilities, with even those on the bench hyping up their teammates through the set. All around player, Andrew Navinkov, played an amazing defense in the second set, picking up almost every swing that went his way. Offensive player, Nicholas Trakhtman, closed the second set with an amazing hit; leading CVHS to win the set 25-20.
Chloe Tran, one of the head managers of the CVHS team, guided her team through the second set victory, noting a key skill that helped secure the win.
“We didn’t miss too many serves and each one was very aggressive which was something that went well for us,” Tran said.
The third set of the game was by far the most intense. With TVC and CVHS battling for the game advantage, the pressure was on. Each player, both the defensive specialists and front-row hitters, played to their max as they tried to secure the 2-1 lead. CVHS started out far on top, with an eight point lead and focused on keeping their lead by smart plays. Insane rallies were played throughout the set, with one team ahead at one point and the other up in the next. Libero, Henry Haslam, had a notable save in the longest rally, diving across the court to save the team’s point. Philippe settled another score with a powerful headshot, leaving both teams shocked while a wave of excitement arose throughout the crowd.
The set went into over-points, with CVHS pulling through with a 26-24 win.
“We did a great job on bringing the energy when we needed it and making huge strides,” Philippe noted.
The fourth set for CVHS ended with a hard, 17-25 loss as the team battled with inconsistencies in their passing and communication with others on the court. TVC used aggressive serving techniques to secure the set win, as they knew this would be there only chance at a comeback.
“I think more reps are definitely needed for the team. A lot of [the players] have the fundamentals but need to be trained more through getting more reps, which is ultimately [my] job to help them get this down,” Tran said.
The fifth and last set was suspenseful. With it being the fifth set, the game would be up to 15 points, meaning there was much less room for error or mistakes. Undoubtedly, both teams left no room for mistakes in this set as they played their hardest to secure the number one spot in the league. Setter, Dale Flores and Philippe became the duo of the set. The two played flawlessly and tactful with intentional sets and ball placing.
The CVHS Boys’ Volleyball team led roars throughout the gym as they closed the last set 15-13, becoming TVC’s first lost of the season.
“We were coming off of a win-streak but then again this is a team that is undefeated until now so I’m really proud of them for keeping their heads high whenever we were down. Overall, they had a great mentality coming into the game,” Tran said.
Parents and friends paraded around the team congratulating them for their victory. Outside of celebrating the moment, the team immediately began preparing for their playoff season which is coming up end of April.
“I think we are a very strong team and I think every single time we face a playoff level opponent, we play our game. We’re very ready to make a deep run in the playoffs and ready for any challenge,” Philippe closed.
So far, the 2025 boys’ volleyball season has been one to remember. With only one loss in the season, the team is ready to face an uphill battle and secure their second title as season champions.
