Coming off the 2022 season with a 9-2 record, hopes were high this year for the boys’ volleyball team. With coach Tony Malinauskas at the helm and the leadership of three seniors, the season was set to be one to remember.

The boys opened their season off on Mar. 23 against Damascus where they soundly defeated them in three sets. This matchup would set the momentum for the season as they would go on to defeat Sherwood 3-1 on Mar. 28, and Whitman 3-0 on Apr. 12. Adversity first struck when they faced Walter Johnson on Apr. 14, where they would lose in a back-and-forth battle 3-2. Led by two division one players, Walter Johnson was able to squeeze by, but it may not be the only time they match with a potential playoff matchup.

Coming off the loss, the team would get their mojo back, swiftly defeating Quince Orchard on Apr 17, 3-0, and then doing the same with a 3-0 win over Bethesda Chevy Chase on Apr. 19. Their hardest match came on Apr. 21 against Churchill, where they would lose another tightly fought battle in the final set. “I think adversity makes us stronger. We have gone through adversity and become stronger,” Malinauskas said.

After a four-day break after the loss, on Apr. 25, the Patriots would match up against Gaithersburg. The boys came out of the gates early, taking advantage from the service line with junior Eli Umar serving up three straight aces to give the Patriots an early 16-6 lead. With serving at sets continuing to be on point, the boys would easily finish Gaithersburg off in the first set with a resounding 25-9.

They would carry this momentum onto the second set where they would take an early 10-2 lead. With senior Felipe Lemgruber’s two kills, sophomore Timothy Ouyang’s three kills and two aces from sophomore Stephen Cheng, the Patriots were able to rally in the second with a 25-6 win, ending on three straight kills.

The third set would have multiple runs with the Patriots starting hot early 8-1, but Gaithersburg pulling it back within five at 13-8. The Patriots would go on a 7-0 run just to get on right back at them, bringing it to 20-15. Although Gaithersburg was able to bring it back, the boys would seal the match with a major spike coming from sophomore Kyle Tsai. “Our win at Gaithersburg proves that we are a powerhouse team that can beat anyone and everyone,” senior Jared Su said.

The boys capped off the regular season with a win against Magruder on May 1 and a big win on senior night against Richard Montgomery on May 3. The Patriots are the four-seed in the playoffs and if they can ride this momentum into the playoffs the ceiling is sky high. “It feels good to know we are one of the best teams in the county. We have a solid shot to win it all this year and we are really confident about taking down Churchill and Walter Johnson in the playoffs,” senior Felipe Lemgruber said.