Bruins Look Prime for Prime Time; Condors on the Rise

The Santa Clara Bruins looked primed to dominate in CCS this season, but MacDonald held its own in Thursday's matchup between the two teams.

Two volleyball teams from Santa Clara are on two different roads, but somehow both are on the right track.

Last Thursday, the Santa Clara Bruins varsity volleyball team knocked off cross-town rival MacDonald in straight sets, 25-15, 25-17, 25-15. While the Bruins look to have all the components to challenge for a league title and a deep CCS playoff run, the Condors have a program that could soon be a force to reckon with, considering its pool of young talent.

First-year Bruins Head Coach Timothy Graton would be a greedy man if he were to have asked for a stronger roster than he has been given this season. Between senior captain Naomi Hunt and her freshman sister Isabel Hunt hitting from the outside, senior Jalayna Bleisner and sophomore Sitara Gunapu hitting/blocking from the middle and another senior captain in Ninya Udinoor as a libero and defensive specialist, the Bruins look mighty impressive from all key areas on the court.

SPONSORED

“We have 15 players on our roster, eight of them are seniors, eight or nine of them, I believe, are on club, so we have some really strong players,” acknowledged Coach Graton. “I have been coaching volleyball club for the last few years, and I have kind of been given like a ‘God roster,’ so I am trying to remind them one game at a time. Trying to teach them that even though we have a really stellar lineup, that they have to be pushing for every single win. Nothing is going to be free.”

Certainly, Bruins opponents will not be given freebies, considering the twin towers in the middle for Santa Clara. Bleisner checks in at 5-foot-10-inches tall, while Gunapu is a six-foot sophomore. Even if the Hunt sisters happen to have an off night hitting from the outside, the Bruins have a dynamic front-court duo ready to carry the load.

Doing the heavy lifting on the other side of the court for a young Condors squad is its core group that includes Clareese Pangilinan, Hana Aman, Gillian Mabilin, Camila Nguyen, Nina Blanusa and Makayla Tacci. Perhaps the best part of this group moving forward for the Condors is that only two of the six are seniors. Blanusa is a freshman, while Tacci and Nguyen are sophomores. From a talent perspective, the Condors didn’t look overmatched against Santa Clara, simply, the lack of consistent ball placement did them in.

“We’re still a young team, a few new players this year, still growing and understanding the system and how volleyball in general,” chimed Condors Head Coach Richard Lumactod. “We are a work in progress, but down on the road I’m sure we’re going to get much better. These girls are out there giving it their all, diving on the court; they are all very athletic. It’s just an exciting game to watch.”

MacDonald is still playing its first ever season with a senior class and already shows signs of a program on the rise. A couple more years of experience for the younger players at the varsity level and it wouldn’t be shocking to see MacDonald join the Bruins and the Wilcox Chargers as a third strong program when it comes to girls’ high school volleyball in Santa Clara.