It might not be the perfect start to the volleyball season for Liberty, but it’s pretty close. The Hurricanes are off to a 5-1 mark on the season following the Easter holiday and head coach Mike Zile sees the progress the team has made from a year ago.

The ‘Canes have won five straight since their season-opening defeat to Parkland, including a pair of wins over Easton, a victory over Whitehall and last week’s win in four games over Freedom.

“We lost to Easton twice last year and have not beaten Whitehall since I have been with Liberty,” said Zile. “It was nice to get those wins as they have been tough matchups for us.”

After last year’s 5-11 record, Liberty has already matched their win total and look to keep their win streak going with matches against Allen and Pocono Mountain West this week.

They also hope to stay healthy, as the injuries plagued the team a year ago, but helped build the foundation for where they are at the moment.

“Last year we had a series of unfortunate injuries to four of our players,” Zile said. “Those injuries ended up being an opportunity for us to build depth and experience.”

Now, it’s about how high that ceiling can be for the program, as they aim to beat some of the contenders in the conference, as their only win over an opponent over .500 was against Pocono Mountain East (4-3).

“I think this year we are starting to realize the potential we have as a whole after overcoming past setbacks,” he said. “There’s still a gap between us and the elite state ranked teams. The guys understand that and what we need to do to get there. We’ve got athletes and the right kind of players that are willing to bridge the gap, so I’m excited to see how far they can go.”

Freedom (3-5) is looking to find their footing, as the Pates have dropped three straight matches to Parkland, Abington Heights and Liberty.

With matchups against Whitehall and Easton this week, it provides an opportunity for the Pates to get level on the season.

Bethlehem Catholic (1-6) has struggled out of the gate, but have a chance to gain some momentum this week against Pocono Mountain East, Notre Dame Green Pond and Allen.