by Rachel Themistokleous ‘26

The girls volleyball team is having an exciting beginning to their season, starting it off with an outstanding 6-0 record. One of the team’s biggest successes has been beating Northwest, who they had lost to last year. Another significant achievement was the team’s win against Magruder on September 24 when both teams entered the contest with undefeated records. This season, the Warriors are placed in a new Region and will be facing schools they have never played against before. However, they are determined to give it their all and emerge triumphant in their Division. 

“The team [plays] well together … they [keep] their energy high, serve tough, and are aggressive on defense,” said Coach Kaitlyn Jain. “We are a young team, led by our sophomores and juniors, and need to continue to work on leadership and communication, along with minimizing our errors.”

Despite the graduation of seven seniors last year, and the injury of strong junior hitter Maya Dorsam, there is no absence of talent on the court this year. Leading the offense is sophomore setter Ariel Callwood and junior outside hitter Kenley Jacobs, having a strong dynamic on the court and even earning All Tournament honors at the Magruder Invitational. Callwood also earned Sherwood Athlete of the Week as she led the team to a strong finish at the tournament, earning second in the county for most assists per set. Juniors Daniela Sokolakova and Gianna Mobley are also big contributors on the offensive side, with powerful passes and hits, keeping the energy high the entire time. Also, junior Libero Claire Strosnider helps lead the defense to success, joined by freshman Elissa Fields, senior Sophia Salcedo, and junior Taylor Adams. 

“I’m excited for the potential of this team. We played well against Northwest and Quince Orchard,” said Jain. “We are young, but with focus and discipline, we can have a very successful season.”

Jain’s determination and confidence in her team greatly inspires her players, with her positive attitude motivating them to stay consistent and do great things this season. “I think we are fully capable of winning the division and regional title,” said Salcedo. “If we continue to work hard and improve our game, I am hopeful that we could possibly make it far into playoffs and potentially go onto the journey to states.”