Adrienne Howard ‘26
Oct 4, 2024
Last Wednesday, the Mercersburg Academy volleyball team faced a tough match against local rival St. James School, resulting in a 0-3 loss. However, the team bounced back on Saturday during Family and Alumni Weekend with an impressive victory of 3-0 against MAPL foe The Hun School of Princeton. This Saturday, they will face Lawrenceville School.
Identifying opportunities for improvement, Bella Levina ’25 stated, “The team dynamic can be intense at times, and we need more communication between the coaches and players.”
Head coach Amy Lyman elaborated: “The biggest challenge is always to come together as a team. We have new freshmen on the varsity, and getting to know each other is a challenge.”
Captain Alyssa Lee ’25 commented, “It’s definitely been a learning experience with a smaller team and younger players, but we’re getting better with each game. We didn’t get much of a preseason, which set us behind compared to other teams, but we’re learning a lot from each of our games.”
Injuries have also been a significant setback this season. Lee noted, “We have a lot of shoulder injuries, but we’re working on creating lineups that allow players to heal while still playing in positions they can.”
Allister Caretti ’26 applauded the team’s versatility, saying, “We have many players who can do a variety of things, so when others are injured, it gives other players opportunities to showcase their skills. However, we are always hoping for recovery and a healthy team.”
Lyman stated, “We’ve had some tough losses, which has been hard. We’ve played some really skilled teams that are currently above our level, but the girls have worked really hard.” Lyman remains optimistic, however, noting, “I see progress in every match. You never want to peak too soon in a season, and it’s still really early.”
Caretti added, “We have been playing some really tough teams recently, but we have been bouncing back in practices with a lot of energy.” Levina agreed, saying, “It’s good to remember that we are in this together, and we shouldn’t be too upset about our losses.”
This year, Storm volleyball has expanded to include a junior varsity roster. While the program had only a varsity team last year, this has not always been the case. In previous years, there were both varsity and junior varsity teams. Lyman expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “I much prefer having a JV team because it is crucial to teaching skills, especially our new players. I don’t ever want to go back to not having a JV team.” Maintaining a fresh talent pool has also proved beneficial for the program throughout the season. “We have swing players [now] who have been great at filling in for games.” explained Lena Wilke ’27.
Looking ahead, Wilke shared her thoughts on the remainder of the season. “Since many of us are injured, our focus should be on teamwork, having fun, and playing well. We often get caught up in trying to win games, which can kill the vibe. We should each focus on playing our best individually so we can come together as a team.”
Caretti remarked, “We are doing a lot of good things, just not all the time. So my goal for the team is to be more consistent.”
Lyman stated, “My number one goal as a coach is for the girls to recognize their potential and reach it as a team.” She added, “Each year, I aim to make it one step further in PAISAAs [the independent schools states tournament]. This year, my goal is to make it to the third round.”