After years of rebuilding and determination, the Cupertino High School girls’ volleyball team has made one of the most remarkable comebacks in its history. Once stationed at the bottom of the league, the team steadily climbed its way to the very top. This season, their efforts culminated in a long-awaited appearance at the Central Coast Section postseason playoffs, reflecting the diligence, grit and drive that carried them through months of hard work.

The team kick-started its season with momentous wins at both the Bay Area Classic Tournament and the Watsonville Tournament. Players describe these victories as the points that triggered the team’s biggest transformation.

“Winning our first tournament was where we really set off,” team captain Miranda Zeng said. “It gave us the confidence [to believe] that we can beat all the teams in our league and if we put in our all, we would do well this entire season.” 

The wins validated months of intense training and preseason preparations, giving players the motivation to show up with sharper focus, skills and determination.

Leadership played a crucial role in shaping the team’s chemistry and trust. Captains Zeng, Sophia Song and Kendra Swineheart entered the season with particular goals for the months ahead.

Said Zeng, “One of my main goals was just making sure that there was no drama in the team, and that the team would have a good time. I wanted everyone to feel included, especially because this is a team sport, and being the captain means I have to keep the team together. I [also] wanted everyone to feel confident in how they played, so keeping the team spirit up as well.” 

Zeng’s approach created an environment where players felt more included and self-confident each practice, translating into better performance during games and carrying them through key matches during the season.

With a renewed mindset and desire for greater success, the team went on to earn win after win. Through a series of tight matches and skilled teams, Cupertino was able to secure an 11–3 record in the El Camino League, earning the title of league champions and a spot at CCS for the first time in four years. Reflecting on the improvement, Zeng said, “My sophomore year, we had a really rough time […] we got last in the league, but then [this year,] we slowly started building ourselves up. Everyone started playing their role [and] our team felt more like a family, rather than just like individual players […] I feel like we deserved [winning league].”

Even with their impressive record and newly earned title as league champions, the journey was far from over. As they advanced to CCS, the team encountered even tougher competition. Players recall feeling uncertain of how they were going to perform, especially with lingering memories of previous losses. With confidence at a low, head coach Ed Mattson reminded players of the depth of their accomplishments and urged them to maintain trust in the team’s potential.

“Our coach’s goal, mainly going in [to CCS], was just to do our best and [apply] everything we learned during the season,” Zeng said. “We worked so hard to get to CCS, and would do whatever we [could] to keep fighting, even if it [was] near the end of our season.”

Cupertino progressed through the first round of the Division 1 bracket, defeating Evergreen Valley High School. However, their quarterfinal match against Milpitas High School proved to be their most difficult.

“I was kind of nervous, because I didn’t know what to expect, but I was excited after we won the first game,” said varsity player and freshman Kathryn Gee. “For Milpitas, I didn’t know if we were gonna win or get that far, because based on their previous records, they seemed really good, but we did really well, and the game was really close.”

The team eventually fell to MHS by a score of 3-2, concluding their play at CCS with a strong quarterfinal finish and placing 11th overall. Despite this one loss, the combination of league dominance, tournament champion titles and their final plays at CCS mark one of Cupertino’s strongest volleyball seasons in recent years.

“It turned out a lot better than I thought,” Song said. “When I went into the season, I had the goal [to win games], but wins aren’t guaranteed. The fact that we won so many tournaments and league championships is so much better than I thought it would be.”