Fall sports are back underway and the Mustangs' volleyball team is already off to a 2-0 start for a season that has high expectations for yet another run at a potential state championship.

 

Led by Head Coach Molly Mordaunt-Hummel the Mustangs have made the state tournament every season since 2017 when they last reached the state championship match.

 

"My expectations are always high," said Mordaunt-Hummel. "I think this group is capable of winning conference and making that state tournament. Not only do we have the offense to do it but the defense as well."

 

After having 17 players on the team last season this year the Mustangs will have a much shorter bench with just 11 players led by returners Savannah LeBarre and Ellie Crowell.

 

LeBarre who led the team with 338 kills last season had 25 combined kills in the opening two matches while Crowell will be counted on to set even more this season after 337 assists last year. In the opening wins of the season, Crowell had 57 assists while also adding 19 digs.

 

"We have 11 and everyone is going to play a role in some capacity," said Mordaunt-Hummel about the roster size this season. "We have a lot of strong talented freshmen to add to that mature sophomore class that we have."

 

Among those talented freshmen is Kiyah Irby from St. Mary's of Stockton and she has wasted no time in making an impact with 32 kills in her first two collegiate volleyball matches.

 

In both wins to start the season, the Mustangs got at least eight digs in each match from LeBarre, Crowell, Angela Biazon, and Miekayla Surnip.

 

They will play their first home matches of this season this Thursday as they take on DeAnza at noon and then Taft at 5:00 pm.

 

This season all Delta College athletic events on campus will be free of charge for fans to attend.