By MIA RODRIGUEZ
Beakon Staff Writer
YOUNGSTOWN The — Cardinal Mooney girls volleyball team has completed its 2023 regular season, having experienced the ups and downs of big wins and heart-breaking losses along the way.
The team has gone through lots of changes throughout the season, but in the end they earned a lot of accomplishments with many more opportunities still available.
Coaches always look for what’s best for the team and what they believe will benefit them efficiently. Because of this, they tried people in different positions and changed the lineup often in the first games of the season. As it went on, they found something that they wanted and started to use it, bonding the players together and starting to build connections.
Head coach, Toni Chahine, feels her players adjust well with each other on the court.
“I think the team bonded well. I think we have a great group of seniors who led by example in welcoming all the new faces to the program. I also think the team has good chemistry. It’s important to know each other’s tendencies on the court and that starts with chemistry,” said Chahine.
With having good chemistry, it’s important to use it and help pick your teammates up while doing it.
This team has been through it all, winning and losing games, but most importantly getting to gain knowledge of their teammates along the way. As the season went on, they started to bond with each other and play as a team. They fought even through the rough times with each other, and they were always there to pick each other up.
Senior, Maria Pecchia, is always looking to help the team come together and build the chemistry they have.
“I definitely think the team bonded as the season went on. There were a lot of new people that came this year and I feel everyone blended together really well and we all have a tight bond with each other, “ said Pecchia.
Having a good bond is important, and using it to play as one whole team is a way to improve.
Volleyball is a complex sport, but it is all about your mindset and the way you approach things. Keeping a positive mindset was hard for many throughout the season, since they didn’t always win and knew they could do better. The team has lots of good players, and they know they can win games, it’s just how they play together at that time.
Senior, Nina Santisi, knows she plays with a good team, but every team has things they can improve on.
“Communication is always key and you can never have enough of it, we also need to have confidence in each other and ourselves,” said Santisi.
This team has an opportunity to put the bad moments of the season and their record behind them and start fresh in the playoffs. Everything they do will be determined by the mindset they have going into the game. This team can win and put their all into something if they do what they know, only controlling what they can.