March 13, 2023 by IH (Photo credit to Hope Ostrander)
It has been a long, hard season for the Maranatha Baptist D3 Men’s volleyball team. The Sabercats had finished the 2022 season with a record of 4-20 and were losing many players to graduation. 2023 was going to be a challenging year on the court, but we are not sure you could have ever scripted the unlikely happening of the season ahead.
This script was not perfect. It did not entail a rise to a division win or a championship. This script read more like the original “Rocky” story where a boxer takes on much higher level competition but goes the distance when no one thought he could.
The psyche of a college level volleyball team requires a delicate balance to keep players together, motivated, and spirited enough to keep improving despite setbacks. Teams that start out of the gate with multiple losses typically experience many more challenges as the season progresses. Some players drop off the team, others continue to juggle their players to give playing time and keep the team motivated. Sometimes frustration levels cause transfer requests or just an adjustment to expectations where teams often do not perform at their best capabilities.
But what we see with Maranatha Baptist is a core group of players who mostly did not come from fancy club volleyball teams. Half of the roster of the Sabercats were home schooled for high school. From what we see, what these players may have lacked in volleyball talent is made up ten-fold by the character they have shown on the court. Being a team outweighs other objectives.
Maranatha progressed through the season, from January through March, without a win. They played 29 matches through March 13, 2023. This is the most matches played by any D3 team in the country. In the twenty-nine games, they did not win a set. The endured eighty-seven straight sets without a single win. And they had just two matches remaining to complete their season.
What happened Monday night was such a testament to perseverance of the players and coaches from MB. The Sabercats not only won their first set of the season, but they won their first match as well. Trinity International, an NAIA team, was the opponent tonight. They too have had a challenging volleyball season, but Trinity took the first set 25-23. But powered by Zach Mueller’s 32 assists and 9 digs, Daniel Says 10 kills and 2 blocks, Drew Smith’s 10 digs and 4 kills, Titus Huston’s 9 digs and 3 kills, and a huge night from Jacob Valeria who posted 14 kills and an ace, the Sabercats won their first three sets of the season and earned their first victory.
Head Coach Shawn Spencer keeping the team focused
The true test of a person’s character is how they stand during the test of adversity. Let’s just say that Maranatha Baptist’s volleyball team is not lacking in character. They should be praised for their commitment and passion and are an outstanding role model for other players to follow. Can other players learn from this example when they may not be getting the playing time they want or may disagree with a coaches objective? We think Yes!
Who knows what tomorrow’s game result will be. But this team has shown they will be representing the next generation of leaders well whether they win or lose in their final match. We wish them luck!
Yo Sabercats! You did it!!!
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