Every season is different. There are always challenges and obstacles to overcome, and I think this was a constant throughout the season. Our schedule was very difficult, and our record reflected how difficult it was. We were not the best team in our class at the beginning of the season, nor were we the best team in the middle or the end of the regular season. What we were was a determined team that brought it all together when it mattered most. 

Lovett and Gordon Lee were on our radar all year. Lovett put together a formidable team and seemed to win at every turn. Gordon Lee was returning their entire starting lineup from last year, all of whom were now seniors. Lovett beat us convincingly in the area championship, and it seemed like this would finally be their year.   

We had to hit the road for most of the state tournament, which was exhausting, but somewhere in the middle of our travels, we found our footing. Our starters were finally healing, and we were starting to see glimpses of the team we strived to be all season. Last year’s Class AA Player of the Year, sophomore Grace Agolli, was back in the starting lineup after missing the entire regular season with a stress fracture. Sophomore Gadit Bejar returned after severely spraining her ankle in the final match of the regular season. Junior Briea Craft started playing her best volleyball and became dominant as a right-side attacker and virtually unstoppable many times during the state tournament. Sophomores Dhru Lalaji and Ellie Siskin continued to perform flawlessly as they have done all year. Sophomore setter Isabelle Wilhelm was a consistent force helping run our offense. Both senior Julia Holmes and sophomore Kennedi Evans provided much-needed blocking at the net. Freshman Elowyn Allen gave us much-needed help late in the season, and junior Sophie Shapiro provided constant support despite a season-ending ankle injury.

The team came together like a perfect storm when we faced a senior-laden Gordon Lee team. The same team we defeated a year earlier was bent on revenge and wanted to “rewrite the ending.” Our team was not a book to be rewritten, and we had every intention of proving it.

Senior co-captains Megan Hardesty and Taylor Knowlton both played their best volleyball of the season. Knowlton had some impressive digs early, and Hardesty served as well as we have seen all year. Agolli overcame her injury to lead the team in assists with a career-high and team-high 17 digs and 28 assists. Siskin led the team with 18 kills, as she has for almost the entire season. She added crucial blocks, digs and serves as well, which shows what an all-around player she has become. Wilhelm served flawlessly and constantly forced Gordon Lee out of their offense. Craft absolutely dominated on the right side with 14 kills and a .500 kill percentage. Lalaji dominated defensively with incredible digs, serve receive and block coverage. Bejar, being moved to the middle late in the season, had an incredible run offensively at the net.  

It all came together at the perfect time, and now we can bask in the glory of another state championship. This program now has five championships, and I could not be more proud of this group of young ladies for coming together to bring home No. 5. It is my final one, and I could not be happier.