Boys Volleyball makes MCAL playoffs in emotional season

The Boys Varsity Volleyball team followed up their 2017 North Coast Section Division III playoff appearance with their second consecutive NCS playoff berth in 2018. They also finished fourth in the Marin County Athletics League standings, which earned them their first MCAL playoff appearance in 20 years. This season, the team finished with an overall record of 7-10 and a 7-7 record in MCAL.
This was the first season since beloved team member senior Ben DeFilippis passed away in the winter of 2017. The team dedicated their season to their fallen teammate, who spent his freshman, sophomore and junior years playing volleyball.
“I like to think that we dedicated our last games to Ben,” junior Quinton Graybeal said.
The Mustangs played first-place Marin Catholic in the first round of the MCAL playoffs on May 2. They pushed the heavily-favored Wildcats to five sets but lost in the fifth set 15-13. In the first round of the NCS playoffs on May 8, the Mustangs fell to Washington High School in three sets.
“The other teams were a lot more skilled than us, but we fought hard for how good they were, and we started to come back toward the end,” senior Tony Nilsen said.
In a very emotional season for the Boys Varsity Volleyball team, the players attributed their ability to overcome adversity and come together as a team to their passion and dedication. Their bond helped them battle against the league’s powerhouses and make it to the playoffs, something that has not happened to a San Marin boys volleyball team in two decades.