On February 27 at 4p.m., the EF Academy Pasadena varsity volleyball team defeated Southwestern High School in a regular season match at the EF home court. EF won by a clean sweep of 3-0. It was a fun and exciting game, the players and the audience had great energy, and the team showcased their skills.
EF started the first set strong, starting with Ray Huang and Aron Hyun led the offense with strong and aggressive hits, while Filip Przewozny controlled the net with effective blocks, and Matus Benetin managed the offense as setter, delivering good and precise sets that allowed the hitters and teammates to stay aggressive.
The key moments in set 1 included a lot of strong killshots from Huang and Hyun. There were also crazy blocks from Przewozny, hard hustle from libero Philipp Redder, opposite Takumi Makihara. The loud chant from the bench, and good serves from Lee kept Southwestern under pressure.
By the second set, EF continued to dominate the game with no momentum shifts, they maintained the pace from the first set to the second to win by 25-11. From Huang and Hyun, aggressive and violent kills ripped Southwestern’s defensive set in half. Prezwozny contributed those key blocks at big moments, shutting down several of Southwestern’s successful attacks. Also Benetin added lots of pressure from the start of the second set by doing 7 consistent serves, with several aces and not losing any points. Last with the hustle of the rest of the team make it a really easy win on the set.
In the third set, EF quickly built a large lead by Hunag’s serve streak of 10, with 5 aces. It was the big highlight of the set, creating a huge advantage for the team while energizing both players and the crowd. It also gave Huang more confidence due to his difficulty serving in the first two sets.
With the strong lead that the starter built, the coaches started to rotate in benched players to give them opportunities to play. Southwestern was unable to make a comeback since
all of our bench players were hustling hard for the ball and opportunities to prove themselves. The team’s strong attack, good communication, and stable defense allowed them to seal the match completing a clean 3-0 sweep over Southwestern.
The clean sweep of this game was owed to four key players and a bench player. Hyun, outside hitter and team captain, used consistent offensive pressure on the opponents. Huang, the starting hitter with the best vertical and most violent kills on the team, got strong killshots in this game and a 10 streak serve. Benetin, setter and team captain, controlled the game tempo with effective serves, and positive energy on the court. Prezwozny, blocker, providing a strong defensive presence at the net. Last, Liam Johnson despite his injuries, he helped the team by keeping the morale up when they missed, and had different chants for each different type of score.
After the match, Ray reflected on the team’s performance.
“I think the game was intense and competitive,” Ray said. “Overall, I believe our team could still do better, especially with communication on the court. There were moments when we hesitated or not fully clear with each other, and that affected our rhythm.”
Huang also highlighted the team’s offensive strength.
“One thing we did really well today was our attacking line,” he said. “Our hitters were aggressive and confident, and we were able to put a lot of pressure on the other team. Our defense also did a good job receiving tough serves and keeping rallies alive.”
In conclusion, EF won the game, demonstrating team work, and crazy offense. This was a good win for the team; it helped increase morale of the team, and showed what the team is really good at and where they need to improve.
Huang said, “We need to bring more intensity and enthusiasm throughout the entire match, not just in certain moments. If we improve our communication, teamwork, and energy, I believe we can play at a much higher level in our next game.”