English Girls Volleyball Looks To Compete For Third-Consecutive City Championship

Despite having graduated two top-echelon players--Karen Pagan and Carolyn Torres--the girls volleyball team is hoping to maintain its edge in the Boston City League that has netted the Blue and Blue the past two city championships.

“We are trying to put it together,” said English head coach Hardy Mondesir. “We lost a couple of key players from last year, but we have a good chance to compete for the city championship.”

Instrumental in helping the Blue and Blue aspire to their accustomed level of excellence will be senior captains and outside hitters Johanly Garcia-Amaro and Yabriela Rodriquez. Mondesir described Garcia-Amaro as a individual who has the basics down pat after three years in the program while Rodriquez is their strongest player.  

“They’re going to need to be the voice of the team,” the coach said of his leaders. “Their role is critical, especially directing players on the defensive side.”

One major unknown for the team right now is the health of senior setter Tracy Lynn Pagan. She has arthritis in her hand and is currently awaiting an OK from her mother to play.

“If she comes back, that’s key,” said Mondesir.

The coach expects ball control to be the team’s strong suite this season. Getting the ball to the setter (hopefully Pagan) with a precise offensive set in mind, and backed by a formidable defense, will go a long way towards attaining that fourth consecutive city championship.  

A weakness the Blue and Blue will face this season is their lack of height. Mondesir is currently trying to persuade more lengthy English basketball players to join the team, for as he put it, “our blocking is none existent” due to the height issue.

The Blue and Blue were scheduled to start their season Tuesday afternoon at home against the Community Academy of Science and Health.

[Editor's note: This post originally had the wrong number of consecutive championships the program won.]