Ohlone Women’s Volleyball team held their annual Renegade Invitational Tournament on August 31. This cherished tournament welcomes two teams each year to the Ohlone Fremont campus to mark the beginning of the volleyball season. This year, the visiting teams included Porterville and Mendocino College, from Southern and Northern California, respectively.
Head coach Courtney Owyang-Paras, has been involved with Ohlone Women’s Volleyball since 2019 as assistant coach before becoming head coach in 2022. Owyang-Paras explains the team’s high expectations regarding the tournament. “Our primary goal going into the tournament was to secure wins,” shares Owyang-Paras. “This was only our second match of the season and our first home game, so we were eager to deliver a strong performance and demonstrate our full potential.”
That goal was certainly met when playing against the Porterville Pirates. The Renegades beat the Pirates 3-0, with a close third match with a two-point lead. Final score: 25-19, 25-10, 25-23. The team managed to create a wider gap in the Mendocino game, keeping a comfortable space for a win. Even at their closest, Mendocino was still seven points down, making Ohlone champions of the tournament. Final score: 25-18, 25-16, 25-16.
“For each match, we set specific goals to strive for,” said Owyang-Paras. “Against Porterville and Mendocino, we aimed to achieve a higher serve receive rating and maintain a positive hitting percentage. I’m pleased to report that we successfully met both objectives.”
The Renegades claimed the first-place position in their home tournament, but Owyang-Paras spoke about the challenges of having eight new players on the team. “With many new players on the team, one of our biggest challenges has been helping them adjust to collegiate-level play and fostering team chemistry,” explained the Ohlone head coach. “Additionally, since all our setters are new, we’ve had to work on building their connections with the hitters.”
With their success in the Renegade Invitational Tournament, it seems like the team has had a chance to build connections and grow their chemistry. As Owyang-Paras looks to the future of the 2024 season, she is hopeful for a change from last year’s record. “We have a solid team this year—one of the strongest I’ve seen in quite some time. Our goal is to make it to the playoffs and have a winning season. Last year, we ended with a 50% win-loss record, so we’re aiming to improve on that,” said Owyang-Paras. “We’re off to a promising start, but we know we have a competitive schedule ahead of us.”
If you are interested in supporting Ohlone Women’s Volleyball, the team is hosting a fundraiser to cover travel expenses and gear. Any contribution is appreciated. Learn more about the fundraiser at shorturl.at/JVLEc
For more on the Ohlone Women’s Volleyball team, visit www.ohloneathletics.com.
