After a landmark season in 2025, the Hollister volleyball team has a young rebuilt squad this year. But they refuse to take a step back and are looking to build on success.
Last campaign’s 20-12 record was the best in seven years and included a third-place league finish and a Central Coast Section playoff victory. Graduations hit the Balers, but the current crew is coming together and battling its way through the early part of the league schedule.
Returnees include major contributors in setter/right side/six-rotation star Trixie Rizon, middle Reilly Haertel, outside hitter/six-rotation veteran Diana Martinez Ruiz and defensive force Isabella Rodriguez.
Coach Lisa Becerra, in her sixth season at the Hollister helm, has been mixing and matching alignments and players, as this group features newcomers from last year’s JV team and promising freshmen.
The team holds a 6-8 overall record and a fifth-place slot in the eight-team Pacific Coast Athletic League, Gabilan Division.
“We want to get better every single year,” Haertel said.
Last year’s team finished with a home playoff win over Santa Clara Valley Athletic League mainstay Mountain View, before falling in a CCS Division I quarterfinal at Menlo-Atherton.
“We want to take it further,” said Martinez Ruiz, a junior who has played a major part in the program’s success through her previous two years already.
With many new players and coach Becerra trying different combinations, the overall record is a mixed bag, but includes wins and challenging tests against fierce competition. That provides learning and preparation for the ardor of the Gabilan.
Non-league wins include a tournament victory over powerful Christopher 2-0, a tourney win over Wilcox 2-0 and three-set sweeps of North Monterey County and Alisal. A rematch with Christopher produced a 3-2 defeat on the road and the Balers learned and improved in losses to Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League powers Aptos and Santa Cruz.
“We have such a strong culture,” coach Becerra said. “It supports and facilitates our growth. The new ones can learn from the veteran players.”
Coach Becerra can run a 6-2 offense with Rizon and freshman Paloma Becerra as the two setters or may go with a 5-1 with Paloma Becerra. Rizon is a prominent contributor no matter how utilized.
Martinez Ruiz, who has starred since she was a freshman, has an impressive vertical and can bang it up front, even though undersized. Additionally, her experience allows her to put down a variety of shots based on the block and the defense. Furthermore, she provides a great help to the defense when rotating through the back row, as does Rizon.
The Baler middle attack and block are coming together. Haertel is an experienced and talented player who can blast a ball to the floor. Linnea Rehak is a quickly-developing tall freshman that provides a great option as the other middle.
Aliyah Montalbo contributes at outside hitter. Rodriguez and Kiyah Chavez both play at libero or defensive specialist. Kloe Osborne and Tess Ruvalcaba provide depth up front or back and Breana Lamos adds to the defense. Additional depth comes from Liz Walters, Leilah Guerin, Alannah Haertel and Guadalupe Lujano.
Coach Becerra notes that she is focused on keeping up improvement on her own team, more than focusing on the opponents.
“We are working on some internal things,” said Becerra, after a recent game. “We have a lot of new players and a lot to be proud of so far. And we have players in new roles. We need to avoid errors and giving points away and pass better. That will enable us to utilize the middles more.”
League play began on Sept. 15 with a 3-1 win at Monte Vista Christian 27-25, 23-25, 25-19, 27-25. The Balers followed with another road battle, displaying fortitude in another tight 4-setter over on the coast at Monterey. The scoreboard read 27-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-22 in favor of Hollister.
The schedule toughened and the Balers fell to Salinas, Carmel, Pacific Grove and Palma.
In the defeats, there have been signs of progress. The Balers dropped the first set at powerful Carmel but pulled ahead late in the second to tie the score at a set apiece.
At 22-22, Paloma Becerra scored on a setter dump. Ruvalcaba dug two fierce Carmel crosses and Martinez Ruiz went line for the next point. The Padres scored on a tip but Martinez Ruiz closed the set with a nifty little roll shot to beat the Carmel block and capture the set.
Although the Padres rebounded in sets three and four with their strong attack to win the match, Hollister left the gym with high hopes and things to work on.
“We started out really strong,” Haertel said. “Our energy was good. We did a good job with our hitting.”
Martinez Ruiz emphasized the stronger defense and energy in the second set.
“We were really scrappy,” Rizon said. “Our blocking was really good. But we need to work on some things. We need to toughen our mentality. We need to work on our development. Overall, we are meshing really well and we support each other.”
Haertel felt the challenging early season games were paying dividends.
“We’re a very together team,” Martinez Ruiz said. “We’re friends off the court too. Our goals are to get back to the playoffs and hopefully take it further.”
Coach Becerra was pleased that the Balers fought back after the opening set.
“I like that we gave ourselves a chance,” Becerra said. “We competed well, especially in the second set. Trixie (Rizon) really helps us with the block. Guadalupe (Lujano) is really coming along. She will be a big force. Overall, as a team, though, we have to pass better. We are trying to develop. And take it match by match, one at a time.”
A week later, the Balers took a set off first-place Pacific Grove, only the second opponent to do so in league play against the powerful Breakers, who otherwise have five sweeps.
PG leads the Gabilan at 7-0, 16-3 overall. Carmel is 4-1 and Salinas and Palma are at 4-2. The Balers sit in fifth at 2-4 and are favored over struggling Santa Catalina this week to close the first half of the double round-robin. Behind Hollister in the standings are MVC, Monterey and Santa Catalina.
