In the midst of intense matches and spirited cheers, the girl’s varsity volleyball team rises to the challenge. Through their skill, determination and unbreakable bond, the team continues to find success on the court.
The team is currently ranked second in the Division I fall volleyball power rankings. They began their season with a 3-0 victory over the Natick Redhawks and have since achieved an impressive record of 15-3.
Head coach Caitlin Sobolewski said the team’s strong connection is shown by their cohesiveness on the court.
“A lot of these girls have been playing together since before they were in high school. I know a lot of them play club in the offseason together, and a lot of them are just really great friends away from the team,” Sobelewski said.
Senior and captain Serina Ohyama has taken the lead in organizing team activities to strengthen their bond off the court. She said these team-building efforts have resulted in better game performance.
“I think that the team bondings are playing out efficiently for how we play. There’s a lot of trust that’s been built between players,” Ohyama said. “Volleyball is all about trust and knowing that you can depend on other people [and] knowing that people won’t blame you if you ever make mistakes.”
Junior Bella Bacon has been on the team for three years, playing both libero and outside hitter. She said the team has a strong bond and everyone is very skilled.
“Everyone on our team is a very well-rounded player and knows what they’re doing. We’ve played together for a really long time, so we have a connection,” Bacon said.
This year, the captains have introduced a “Big Sister” program, which pairs upperclassmen from varsity with underclassmen from the junior varsity A and B teams on a week-to-week basis. Through this initiative, players engage in various activities and team-bonding exercises aimed at strengthening connections across all levels.
Sobolewski has noticed a positive shift in the program’s dynamics as connections now reach across all levels.
“In the past, it’s just really been with our varsity team, but now I’m seeing they’re bringing in the sub-varsity team. So it’s really getting this whole program chemistry, which is really fun,” Sobolewski said. “It’s making the whole program feel brought into what the mission of our varsity team is, which is supporting one another and growing as individuals.”
The reigning state champions, the Newton North Tigers, will compete in the Bay State Conference alongside the Warriors. According to Sobolewski, facing the Tigers has pushed the team to concentrate on meeting the challenge head-on.
“We want to be able to, in these big moments, succeed and not doubt ourselves,” Sobolewski said. “Finding ways that we can understand that we’re going to be facing these really big opponents and that we can actually play up to that level and have the confidence to rise to that occasion.”
The team showcased their resilience early in the season by putting up a strong fight against the Tigers, as they took the first set from the reigning state champions. Since then, they’ve continued building that momentum, most recently defeating the Tigers 3-1 on Tuesday, Oct. 22.
Throughout the season, Sobolewski has observed the team’s growth and development, both in individual skill and as a cohesive unit.
“I can definitely see how the team itself has grown from what it was at the start of the season to where they are now in their camaraderie,” Sobolewski said. “It’s really shining in the latter part of the season.”
As the team enters the playoffs with renewed determination, Sobelewski said the team shares a common drive toward their post-season goals.
“I think a really big goal for us is to make a deep run in the States. Last year we made it to the round of 16 and it left us with a little bit of a chip on our shoulder, knowing we could have gone further,” Sobelewski said. “This year we know we can go further and we can achieve more.”
