The Pitman Pride volleyball team has always been good, but after completing this past season, which Coach Kristen Pontes dubbed “the best season we’ve ever had”, calling them good no longer cuts it. The girls were spectacular this past season, gracefully beating down every other CCC team to grab a 15-0 record, overcoming past playoffs woes to make the section semi-finals, and establishing themselves as arguably Pitman’s best ever volleyball team.
When asked if her if she would change anything looking back on her team’s season, Coach Kristen Pontes was honest when she admitted that she has “No regrets.” Why would she? Her team did not only achieve a 33-5 overall record, they decimated every other team in their league. Their 15-0 league record doesn’t tell the entire story. They not only beat every team, The Pride only lost four sets during the entire league season. The football equivalent would be only giving up four touchdowns all season, the soccer parallel being 4 goals. Pitman’s cross-town rivals, Turlock, were not able to take a set away from Pitman all season. The girls were phenomenal throughout the season, but their greatest joy came in the playoffs.
For the past few years, the Pitman Pride volleyball team had been cursed with playoff troubles. While regular season dominance had been a norm, carrying that success into the playoffs had been something that the team had always struggled to do, until this year. This year’s Pride went further than any Pitman volleyball team before them, reaching the semi-finals. Senior, Melinda Gonzalez, expressed her joy at making it so far, “This was my third year playing varsity and well… it was great to finally carry over our league form to the playoffs.” Her happiness was shared with her coach, Coach Kristen Pontes, who claimed their second round playoff game versus Oak Ridge, which saw them advance to the third round for the first time in team history, as “her most memorable moment” and “the best match we’ve ever played.
With every season ending, comes the closing of senior’s high school careers. When senior, Janae Marable, was asked about her thoughts on the season ending she was conflicted when she stated how she was “so excited and sad at the same time.” Excited to venture into a new chapter in her life, sad to leave her teammates that “all got along so well.”
Marable was optimistic about her future stating “the things that are ahead are far better than anything left behind.” The future of Pitman volleyball may fare the same. Even with senior captains Janae Marable and Moriah Halteman leaving along with All league 1st team, 3 year varsity veteran Melinda Gonzalez, the Pride retain much of their talent. This years team had seven juniors and one sophomore, meaning eight players are eligible to return next year. Also, the MVP of the league, Lindsey Vander Weide, and the Setter of the year, Maddy Halteman are both juniors. The future looks bright for the Pitman Pride and they look fully capable of achieving Coach Kristen Pontes’ goals for next season, “Win CCC…of course and make it to the championship for playoffs.”