Santa Barbara High boys volleyball participated in the Best of the West Tournament in San Diego over the weekend.
The Dons went 1-5 on the weekend against strong opponents while missing UCSB commit Mikey Denver after he injured his ankle in the first game on Friday.
“Mikey is one of those players that can change the outcome of the game so it was definitely a huge loss for our team,” Santa Barbara coach Chad Arneson said. “Our boys battled and we found a way to fight and see what we’re made of without Mikey in the lineup.”
On Friday, the Dons went 1-2 in pool play, taking down Harker School and falling to Cathedral Catholic and Huntington Beach.
Then, Santa Barbara High dropped their matchups with Valley Christian, Buchanan and Clovis North on Saturday to round out the weekend.
“On a positive note, Will Harman continues to be our most consistent offensive weapon and definitely showed that he has the potential to play at the next level like Raglan Kear and Mikey Denver,” Arneson said.
“All of our boys that participated in this tournament gave it their all and I’m proud of the way this team is progressing.”
The Dons will return to Channel League play when they take on Pacifica on Tuesday on the road before hosting Dos Pueblos on Thursday.
“Tournaments offer a unique chance for a team to make decisions on the fly when necessary and for all of us to learn how to focus on each match individually amongst all the chaos a tournament can often bring,” Arneson said. “The results certainly weren’t the reflection of the potential I see in this team.”
