The John F. Kennedy boys varsity volleyball team earned a strong victory against Florin in a competitive four-set match, finishing the match with a 3-1 victory.
Kennedy came out strong in the first set, quickly setting the tone. Their defense kept rallies alive while their offense capitalized on scoring opportunities. Florin tried to keep up, but Kennedy maintained control and won the set 25-16.
Senior Jay Yang (#10), an Outside Hitter, claims he played an important role in the team’s defensive effort during the match.
“I felt like I covered a lot more,” Yang said. “I helped pass the ball up higher than usual.”
Florin responded in the second set, taking advantage of small mistakes from Kennedy.
As Kennedy began to lose some momentum, Florin pushed ahead and won the set 25-17, tying the match.
Kennedy quickly regrouped in the third set. With stronger communication and energy, the Cougars dominated the set 25-15, regaining control of the match.
Senior Owen Yang (#5), the team’s Libero and team captain, explained how his role in passing helped set up the offense.
“By putting the ball up where it needs to be and having my center set up the offense,” Yang said.
He also believed his assists helped shift the momentum for Kennedy.
“I think my assistance changed the game and helped our offense be involved,” Yang claims.
The fourth set became the most competitive of the match.
Florin fought hard and kept the score close, making the set intense for both teams. Despite Florin’s push to extend the match, Kennedy stayed composed and closed the set 25-22 to secure the win.
Senior Alexander Francois (#11), a Middle Blocker and team captain, helped lead Kennedy’s defense at the net.
“With my focus on closing the block to better close the scene for our hitters,” Francois said. “I think I was able to defend more balls to make it easier for our back row.”
Key plays throughout the match helped Kennedy maintain their momentum. Jay Yang pointed to one moment that stood out.
“I think the play that helped us win the game was Alex bouncing the ball over the middle and we went and scored,” Yang said.
Francois also explained that strong offensive moments helped keep the team motivated.
“I think any of our kills,” Francois said. “Because we were able to keep our momentum up with it and every time we got a kill, we were able to celebrate it without letting our mental beat down.”
Communication and teamwork were also key to controlling rallies throughout the match.
Owen Yang said the team stayed organized by working together.
“By coming together (as a team) and talking about what the plans are and figuring out what everyone needs to do and get the job done.”
Francois agreed that trust and chemistry helped the team succeed.
“I think just communication and hard work,” Francois said. “We trust each other. We have chemistry, so we were able to just work together and secure the point.”
Jay Yang added that the team stayed confident even during the close moments of the game.
“We kept our posture and we just gained our confidence back,” Yang said. “And we just pushed.”
With strong leadership from captains Owen Yang and Alexander Francois, along with consistent defense and teamwork, the Kennedy Cougars were able to secure a hard-fought victory over Florin.
