Girls volleyball has started off this season with six games so far. The team is ready for more and working well, according to varsity coach Mrs. Barbra Matthews and JV coach Ms. Jaqui Zorzi.
Captains this year are seniors Dyllan Dinbokowitz and Rylee Brangan on varsity, with sophomore Alyssa Wise and freshman Avalynn Cunningham on JV.
Varsity captain Dinbokowitz said, “being captain means giving the younger players someone to look up to and being a leader when things get tough. It means helping to push your teammates harder so they can improve along with you.” She also added, “This is my senior season, so my hope is to leave a lasting impact for the girls in the future years and to just enjoy my last year playing.” This is Dinbokowitz’s eighth year playing volleyball, and she believes the chemistry between the team is clicking fast.
Sophomore Catie Weahage (setter) said, “last year was my first year ever playing, so if I’m being honest, I did really rough. But I was patient, and with my club team, I was able to really grow into a more confident and better player.” She also stated, “I think the hardest part about volleyball is probably the mentality you have to have. It’s easy to have one bad pass, set, hit, or serve, and just to have that set you up for failure. But once you get past that, it makes playing a lot less mentally tolling.” This is Weahage’s second year playing for the school and in total, while she also participated in club volleyball during the off season, perfecting her dive for the ball.
Matthews has been coaching girls volleyball for 11 years and says she is most excited to, “see where the team goes; with the practicing and team bondings that they have, [she] thinks we’ll end up okay.” Matthews also said that she is most proud of “how well they play together, and how they treat each other on and off the court.” Matthews believes that the girls are really coming together as a team, and focusing on the goals of hitting harder and getting to the ball quicker.
Junior Emily Signor (middle blocker) says that the hardest part about volleyball is “sometimes keeping a positive mental state. If you get in your head about your mistakes, it will mess you up. It can be hard sometimes, but volleyball is ninety percent a mental game.” Signor has been playing volleyball for about six years and this season is working on communicating better on the court.
