Alisal volleyball

 Improvement was anticipated.
 But this?
 Winless last fall, the Trojans have put that disappointment in the rear view mirror.
 Not only did Alisal snap an 18-game losing streak earlier this season, but it's won six straight non-tournament matches, including a league opening four-set win over St. Francis of Watsonville.
 Rather than just being participants in the Mission Division this year, the Trojans will be players, as expectations are to challenge for supremacy.
 Explaining the rapid turnaround starts with its youthful core, several of which where thrown into the fire of the Gabilan Division last year -- a league Alisal had no business being in.
 Experience counts. Yet, so does determination. As painful as last fall was, it pushed this core to work even harder.
 Developing chemistry on the court starts with setters America Mendez and Miriam Ochoa, who float the ball around the net to the likes of Yesenia Tijerina and Sam Montelongo.
 Alisal is playing defense in the back row with Nayeli Munoz and Maria Ochoa. And it's serving the ball with accuracy, as evident by it recording 10 aces in its last match.
 Six consecutive wins does warrant the attention of your peers. The Trojans will not be sneaking up on anyone in the Mission Division.