So far, so good for the Mt. Hope High School boys' volleyball club as the Huskies opened up their 2025 regular season schedule with a couple of three-set sweeps over a league opponent and another over one from the state's top tier.

Against fellow Division III side North Providence, the locals were winners by the scores of 25-15, 25-17 and 25-16. Nate Fisher paced the Huskies with 12 kills and 10 digs. Jacob Betres had eight digs and seven kills. Gianfranco Semeraro-Bellanca chipped in four kills and had six service aces.

Against Division I North Smithfield, albeit one that is rebuilding according to Mt. Hope head coach Lisa Lunney after Mount St. Charles left a co-op and the Rhode Island Interscholastic League totally, the Huskies won 25-18, 25-23 and 25-12. Fisher's numbers were reversed, 10 kills and 12 digs. Semeraro-Bellanca had six kills and 12 digs. Jackson Gould had four blocks and five kills.

Next up on the docket for the locals was a home date against Division II Westerly Friday night, April 5, in Fitzgerald Gym at 6:45 p.m.

The Huskies are coming off a 13-4 campaign last spring and a sixth-place finish in the league standings. The locals fell to third-seeded Juanita Sanchez, 3-0 in quarterfinal round of the playoffs.

Top-seeded Pawtucket co-op (Tolman/Shea) went 19-1 for the spring and swept second-seeded Central Falls for the D-III title.

Pawtucket and Sanchez were realigned up to D-II in time for this season, leaving the Huskies and Portsmouth as likely the top returning teams in D-III. Of note as well from the league, Block Island has joined the ranks whole the Scituate/Prout co-op has been dissolved and Times2 Academy (Providence) has disbanded.

Mt. Hope entered this spring with an upperclassmen-laden squad.

Fisher, Betres and Gianfranco Semeraro-Bellanca are seniors joined by classmates Nathan Calouro and Rasheed Braddock.

The rest of varsity are juniors: Gould, Arion Ferris Dylan White, Dylan Shaw, Dylan DeOliveira and Matthew Moran.

"I think we're playing well," Lunney said of the early-season returns. "I felt really good about this group since tryouts. We've got a bunch of kids who really love the game as much as I do."

The varsity roster, the 11 players listed, is exactly that. While Lunney is impressed with the potential shown by the underclassmen in the program — she called the freshmen crop "some of the best" to join it during her short time as coach (two years) and as a long-time referee of the sport locally — they're not quite ready to contribute at an advanced level.

"We have lots of talent, but we have to keep the kids healthy," Lunney explained, noting already some minor nicks and illness have impacted preparations at the start of the year.

She continued, "The kids we do have are super, super talented. They're passionate about the game and they're really coachable. You have those three things and you're in pretty good shape. I think we have the chance to make some waves in Division III. I think we'll be up there, but we have to stay healthy."

DeOliveira is the setter in Mt. Hope's 5-1 formation. In just his second year playing volleyball, Lunney said he's already gained an intricate understanding of the position.

"Dylan is crazy athletic, and you only have to tell him one time to do something and he gets it. He's so athletic and talented," Lunney said.

The rest of the early rotation players are Moran and Gould at middle hitter, Betres and Fisher on the outside, Semeraro-Bellanca (the tallest of the Huskies at 6-foot-6) on the right side, Shaw at libero and White as a defensive (back row) specialist.

Betres, Fisher and Braddock are the team captains.

All 19 of Mt. Hope's matches count under the RIIL's new power rankings formula for playoff qualification and seeding. After facing D-II sides Westerly and Sanchez in short order, the rest of the Huskies' matches are against D-III opponents.

Of her team's prospects this spring, Lunney said, "I try never to be presumptuous, but we have a talented group of kids. Like I said, though, we have to stay healthy, because we're not deep think. But I feel like we're in good shape. I don't want to jinx us because we have really good pieces. As long as we continue to gel, I think we can make a run. I'm already really proud of where we've come from Day 1 to now.

"I just genuinely believe in this group of boys. They are skilled, passionate and coachable. Good things come to those who possess those qualities. And I’m lucky enough to work with a coaching staff that I respect and rely on. I can’t help but feel really positive about where this season is going."

The Huskies opened the new week with a date in Providence April 9 against Mt. Pleasant at 6:15 p.m. They head back to the Capital City on April 11 to place D-II Sanchez at 6:30 p.m.

— East Bay Media Group and eastbayri.com contributing photographer Julie Furtado shot the accompanying gallery of photos.