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Millikan is looking toward their upperclassmen experience this year.
Head coach Antoinette De La Espriella is only in her first official year as head coach for the girls’ team. De La Espriella is a familiar face on the Millikan volleyball scene, coaching with the boys’ program since 2019. She coached for the girls’ during the 2020 season.
De La Espriella is relying on her returning seniors, who she says are bringing her team together. Among that senior class is Cali Tirado, returning All-Moore League Second Team middle blocker and All-Moore League First Team beach volleyball player.
“She definitely brings a big sense of leadership and energy to our team, and also just a very large presence at the net for us in the middle blocker position,” De La Espriella said.
Mikayla Brumbelow joins Tirado as an impactful senior who will be the Rams’ DS libero this season.
“Mikayla is an incredible defensive specialist and serve-receive passer,” De La Espriella said. “So she’s definitely a key player on the court.”
Tirado and Brumbelow are serving as the team captains for Millikan’s squad. De La Espriella said her captains play big roles for the Rams.
“They show a lot of leadership and bring a lot of energy to the court,” De La Espriella said.
De La Espriella said her captains lead by example, an important trait she said her whole senior class has.
“Just making big plays when it counts, making big blocks, making big digs, and having relentless pursuit of the ball within the defensive side,” De La Espriella said. “Also just kind of helping keep the girls levelheaded, not letting our highs get too high or letting our lows get too low. We have a lot of mental toughness on our team this year.”
Joining the captains are opposite hitter Juda Washington and middle blocker Catalina Trautner. De La Espriella said these seniors have been putting in outside work at college camps and club teams to help prepare for the coming season.
Sophia Nygaard, middle blocker and opposite hitter, tops off this vital senior class for Millikan. Nygaard was an All-Moore League First Team player for beach volleyball and girls’ soccer last year.
De La Espriella is looking to rely on these returning five seniors for experience, energy and leadership.
“All five of them are big, big players on our court and will definitely be a loss that we’ll have to deal with next year,” De La Espriella said.
The Rams also return some experienced juniors in their roster.
Sophia Orbiso is an All-Moore League First Team beach volleyball player and received All-Moore League Second Team honors for indoor volleyball last year. De La Espriella said she will be the team’s starting libero this year.
“[Orbiso] definitely keeps everything off the ground and keeps us in system,” De La Espriella said. “She’s also an incredible beach player, so her ball control allows us to have a very strong out-of-system set which helps get us back into system on the defensive end.”
Bethany Arnold is another powerful junior for Millikan. Arnold is an All-Moore League First Team beach volleyball player who will be an outside hitter this year.
Aubrey Greene is another strong asset for the team. She will be an opposite and outside hitter for the Rams.
Lila Walters, All-Moore League First Team beach volleyball player, and sophomore Samantha Flores will be in rotation as strong, capable setters.
“This year, we do have a lot of returners, and so the chemistry within the team is strong. I’m kind of the only new variable really for them,” De La Espriella said. “But, they’re responding really well and working together well.”
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This seasoned roster is making two fresh additions this year, as well. De La Espriella said freshman Parker Brumbelow is a strong addition to this year’s squad.
“She’s a utility player,” De La Espriella said. “I can literally put her anywhere on the court. She’s a very strong defensive player, high IQ when she’s in the front row, aggressive serving and one of those players that just doesn’t let the ball die on defense.”
Johanna Swerdloff is the other powerful freshman for Millikan. She will be another opposite hitter for the team.
“She definitely brings a pepper to our team with just having that kind of fearless swing and energy when she’s about the net in the front row,” De La Espriella said.
De La Espriella is hoping this team can come together and prove themselves as a Moore League threat, especially against the powerhouses of Wilson and Long Beach Poly.
“We have a really strong outlook for them and where we’re going to end up within the Moore League,” De La Espriella said.
Along with trying to compete at a higher level, De La Espriella is hoping her team can advance in CIF playoffs. The Rams fell to JSerra in the opening round of playoffs last year.
In order to try and gain this success, De La Espriella said her team is taking on a “No fear of failure” mentality.
“Being aggressive, making the big plays, not being afraid to make the mistakes, but rather learning from them,” De La Espriella said. “Just being able to get back out there and not be afraid to make the same mistake but to try to correct it and continue that aggressive intention while we’re out there playing.”
Millikan will host Jordan to kick off their Moore League season. The Panthers will visit the Rams on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
