The middle school boys’ volleyball teams opened up the season with the South Korea Association of International Schools (SKAIS) tournament held at the Jetnasium on Feb. 12. With a competitive atmosphere, both varsity and JV whipped the court and secured first place.  

Varsity kick-started against Busan Foreign School (BFS) with Aiden Hwang (18) as setter, Josh Lee (15) as right side, Daniel Kim (21) and Steven Jang (1) as outside, Tony Kim (16) and Honglim Jin (2) as middle and Min Kim (4) as libero. Head coach Mrs. Jolly and high school assistant coach Alex Seo led the squad.

The Sharks entered the match determined to set the pace early, but DIS quickly gained momentum through steady communication and consistent rallies, defeating BFS by a double digit in their first set. Reflecting on the strong start, captain and outside hitter Daniel Kim thanked the team for a strong start. “[Our best play was] when we were playing with [BFS], I did something that was really cool against BFS, a long rally and we ended up getting the point,” said Kim (21).

With their momentum from their opening victory, the Jets faced Gyeongnam International Foreign School (GIFS) in their second match. With improved confidence, the DIS team continued to widen the scoring gap through Hwang’s jump floats. Although they struggled in set two with miscommunication, they secured another decisive win and maintained their undefeated streak. 

The last game against International School of Busan (ISB) showcased as the most challenging game. With nervous energy, the Jets struggled to find rhythm early and lost the first set with a few point difference. Despite the loss, they bounced back in the next set, pushing to keep their winning run. Kim (4)’s immaculate anchored the team’s defense. 

 In the last set, they closed out the match comfortably, advancing to the championship. “They’re good. They’re better than us, obviously. I was scared because they look very intimidating, but I would say they’re like 2 levels above us,” said Jonathan Kim, varsity middle blocker from ISB (99).  

In the finals, they vied off ISB once again, to retrieve the championship trophy with pressure on the line. Improving off earlier matches, the squad executed cleaner serves, spikes and digs. With a 2-0 blowout, varsity earned their well-deserved gold medals. 

With the undefeated performance across all matches, players expressed confidence going into future competitions. “Even though I didn’t get to play a lot, the times I was on the court I did pretty good. I know we can win the KISAC tournament,” said right side Sean Kim (7). 

On the other side of the Jetnasium, junior varsity stepped onto the court with Miles Long (24) as setter, Jay Jang (6) as right side, Kevin Jang (19) and Alex Hyun (34) as outside, Aiden Shin (8) and Lucas Shin (17) as middle, and Damir Makhamatzhanov (20) as libero under the guidance of high school student leaders: head coach Noah Hwang and assistant coach Maddox Jolly and Alvin Park. 

JV opened the tournament against BFS, quickly holding dominance through clear ball coordination. Displaying strong chemistry early in the day, the Jets secured their first victory with ease, setting foot on the court for the day.

Immediately following the opening match, the Jets faced ISB 3. Thanks to the back-to-back schedule, the team carried on their momentum and executed plays with even more precision. The coaches directed them to keep their communications sharp throughout rallies, as they delivered another set of victories. 

Continuing their undefeated run, JV clashed against ISB 2. The crew attempted more attacks while disallowing the Bears to gain momentum, securing another win. “[the DIS games], those were very, very competitive. I guess when we won one set everyone was screaming and excited… their shortsmanship was good, they just play really well like a team,” said hitter Coner Jefferson outside (22).

Advancing towards the finals, DIS met ISB 2 once again for the championship title. Through the confidence boost from the previous win, the players entered with preparation and composure. With a variety of strong plays, they captured the three-peat championship trophy.

With an undefeated record through varsity and junior varsity, the squads demonstrated strong teamwork and adaptability across consecutive matches. As both teams conclude the SKAIS tournament as champions, the boys set their sights for the upcoming Korean International Schools Activities Conference (KISAC) tournament on Feb. 26 to 28.

Gallery • 7 Photos

Esther Choi

Varsity libero Min Kim (4) launches himself for a crucial save in a close match against the ISB Bears, determined to shift the momentum in his team’s favor. With practiced proficiency, he successfully delivers a controlled receive to the setter.