It has been a long season for the Piedmont High School girls volleyball team. After losing a boatload of seniors from last year’s team, everybody knew it would take time to develop the younger players.
But that development should pay off the next couple of seasons.
“It has been a building year definitely,” said senior hitter Juliana DeYoung after a 25-10, 25-18, 26-24 loss at home to Berkeley on Oct. 15. “We have a whole new team this year, because we had eight seniors last year, we’re figuring out our groove. We’ve just slowly been getting there. We’ve had some great games where we’re really playing together as a team. Then we have moments where we kind fall apart and we’re just trying to figure out how to work together and play as a unit.”
She added that, “Since the beginning of the season, I have seen so much progress based on how we interact with each other, how we’re working together, how we communicate.”
Piedmont’s Fiona Olsen (L) Stella Wilk (front) and Juliana DeYoung talk things over during a match with Berkeley. 
Piedmont’s Stella Wilk bumps a ball while Kalindi Kim watches. Piedmont fell to Berkeley, 3-0, in a match on Ocotober 15.
This year’s team has four seniors “I think we’re a very young team,” senior libero Kalindi Kim said. “That definitely sometimes is a weakness, but it’s also one of our strengths. Being a senior and watching these girls, they
have so much potential. I know they’re going to be so good in two years. It’s really nice to see us getting better every day.”
Junior Stella Wilk said, “Only five or six players have ever played together before. We’re starting a base for the team and I think next year is going to be a really strong year for us.”
Mira Sachs (16), Berkeley’s Cyniya Stewart (7) and Kalindi Kim watch a ball during Berkeley’s straight-set win at Piedmont. 
Piedmont’s Allyson Huynh prepares to set a ball in a match against Berkeley.
One recent highlight was a sweep of visiting Alameda on Oct. 11. The Highlanders had been swept by the Hornets in their first meeting.
On Oct. 16, Piedmont lost at Encinal, 25-12, 25-17, 25-21.
On Oct. 18, the Highlanders fell at home to Castro Valley, 25-18, 26-24, 25-19.
At the Cougar Challenge at Albany High on Oct. 12, Piedmont went 1-3. The Highlanders beat El Cerrito, 24-26, 25-21, 15-12. They lost to the host school, 25-15, 25-15; to Mission San Jose, 25-2, 25-8; and to Salesian, 25-13, 25-17.
On Oct. 8, Piedmont lost at Bishop O’Dowd, 25-12, 25-17, 25-19. On Oct. 1, visiting Encinal beat the Highlanders, 25-14, 25-20, 25-14. On Sept. 27, Piedmont fell at Berkeley, 25-23, 25-14, 22-25, 25-12. The Highlanders lost at Alameda on Sept. 25, 25-8, 25-7, 25-13.
Piedmont beat Oakland on Sept. 17, 25-9, 25-19, 25-13.
Kalindi summed up the seniors’ feelings when she said, “I feel really positive. It has been a great senior year and I’m really lucky to have played with all my friends.”