With the season in full swing, Oak Park High School girls’ volleyball continues their success in recent games. As of Sept. 16, varsity and junior varsity team records are 9-6, with the freshman-sophomore team holding 11-10 with one tie.

At the Simi Valley away game, varsity team captain and senior Taylor Hunter had 14 kills and 6 blocks, Charlize Shields had 7 kills and 6 blocks, and senior Grace Watkins finished with 30 assists.

“We have had some very close games this season, but I know my favorite moment so far was beating Grace Brethren in five sets,” varsity team captain and senior Danielle Gould wrote to the Talon.

The varsity team competed against Grace Brethren on Aug. 23 in an away non-conference match and won by a score of 3-2.

“We were in their gym, which is actually a church with wood paneling, and they invited their entire football team to cheer for them. Imagine 70 boys cheering for an hour and a half straight while you have to simultaneously focus and play your best,’” Gould wrote. “That was a fun win.”

The teams will also play the high schools of Moorpark, Agoura, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Westlake and Royal in the forthcoming month.

“This season our biggest challenge that we will have to face is Moorpark and Royal who are both in our league and they are probably our biggest competition, so finding a way to prepare ourselves and counter their styles is going to be difficult,” Hunter wrote to the Talon.

Most varsity members concur that chemistry and camaraderie plays a crucial role to the Oak Park girls’ volleyball team’s success. According to Hunter, one of the biggest highlights of the season is “how close our team is and how much we all care for and about each other.”

Gould attributes much of the team’s success to the program’s coaches. For the 2018 season, the head coach is Kendall Billbruck and assistant coach is Eric Varney.

“I think the new coaching staff has already created a strong, unified program that will last for years and years to come,” Gould wrote. “This season, there is definitely some tough competition in our league, but we know we will have to fight to achieve our goals. Overall, I think the future is bright for Oak Park volleyball.”