The girls’ volleyball team has entered this season with a strong mix of experienced leaders and younger players ready to grow.
Six seniors lead the way: Lidia Benedetto, Elise Clapp, Jordan Draper, Emily Giugliano, Aimee Quimby, and Cate Wettstone. Four of those seniors return as starters from last year, providing stability and leadership for the team.
Senior players support the younger team members by leading through example, offering kindness, and offering helpful feedback. That support has helped strengthen the team’s unity both on and off the court. It has also created a welcoming environment for the two freshmen on the team.
“This is such a great group of kids who have been working together since freshman year,” said Coach Jon Wettstone. “The highlights of their season, like gathering for team meals, bus rides to away games, and team sleepovers, tell me they love spending time together, celebrating and supporting one another.”
Preparation has been a key focus for the team this season. When possible, the coaching staff gathers information about upcoming opponents. This allows the team to work on game-specific drills, focusing on defending against specific players on the opposing team.
“We target game specific drills to defend and stop a key player, giving our players insight before we see them on the court,” said Wettstone.
“The kids came into the season really wanting to win the conference again and beat friends on opposing teams like Marblehead,” said Wettstone. “My goals are just to enjoy the season, have fun as a group, and do our best.”
Younger players have also set personal goals for improvement. Freshman Maniya Kari said her goal is “to get at least 50 kills overall” by the end of the season.
Freshman Lydia Sterner is also joining the varsity team in her first year of high school.
“I aim to get better at setting, hitting, and passing, and overall improve through experience even if that’s at practice,” said Sterner.
Both freshmen have quickly adjusted to the fast pace of the season and bring excitement and energy to every match.
Spirit days have also played a big role in shaping the team’s personality.
Kari said, “They help us bond as a team because we all get ready together in the morning, and it’s a really fun way to get everyone ready for games.”
Spirit days show how much the team values friendship and school pride.
Lydia Sterner also said, “We all get to participate in something as a team and have fun all day together.”
These events give players something to look forward to, helping them relax and connect before setting onto the court.
Performance during games is determined by careful evaluation. The coaches keep track of stats for passing, serving, and attacking to choose starting players and rotations. Players who do the best in these areas earn more time on court, encouraging harder work from other players at practices.
The focus this season has been on teamwork, improvement, and enjoying the sport. The seniors lead with experience and encouragement. Together, the team learns from mistakes and betters itself at each practice. As the season progresses, their hard work and team spirit keep MVB strong both on and off the court.
The team has a busy stretch of games ahead as the season continues. They’ll face Danvers High School on Wednesday, October 15, at the Danvers field house. Next, they’ll host Billerica Memorial High School on Monday, October 20, at Masco, followed by a trip to Ipswich High School on Tuesday, October 21.