The girls varsity volleyball is made of 17 girls, led by senior captain Jessica Chen and is coached by Mary Malinauskas. The team is reigning county champions and made it to last year’s regional semifinals. “I look forward to playing Georgetown Prep this year and hopefully having a huge crowd out at games,” Chen said.
The season for the team started off with a game against BCC on Sept. 6. The team had strong passes, leading to a 3-0 win. “I think the team has done really well so far,” junior Caitlin Doherty said.
The team played Sherwood for their home opener on Sept. 11, Our Lady of Good Counsel on Sept. 13 and Rockville on Sept. 19. The team also played Watkins Mill at home on Sept. 2,1 as well as Damascus. The team won both games 3-0 leaving them undefeated so far this season. “I expect this team to not only get far in the season, but also to become a strong team that does not have weaknesses that will tear us down,” junior Emma Li said.
Practice includes a serving and receiving drill that helps the girls warm up. Then they move into hitting practice, followed by a scrimmage to end their training. “I like doing hit vs defense because I get a lot of reps and although it may be tiring, serve-receive practice is really helpful the day before games,” Chen said.
Communication is a big part of the sport on and off the court. The team likes to tease each other and joke around during practice as a way to bond and form friendships as well as trust and continue to remain enthusiastic about their sport and their season. “Since we have summer practice and scrimmages early on, it’s really easy for us to bond as a team and have a connection,” Doherty said.
The team has their minds on state and also understands that they have to put in the work. “Although I hope we make it to the state final, I think it’s equally important that we continue to enjoy playing volleyball and manage to improve,” Chen said.
The team’s next game is against Georgetown Day School on Sept. 29 at 6:30 p.m.. “The team has done really well this season and I hope we continue to do so,” Chen said.
Junior varsity volleyball season has also started off just as strong with 2-0 wins against Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Sherwood, Our Lady of Good Counsel, and Rockville, as well as wins against Watkins Mill and Damascus. Their next game is against Georgetown Day School on Sept. 29 at 5:30 p.m. The team is coached by Tony Malinauskas.
