Girls’ Volleyball Beats Toughest Competition Yet 3-1

On Oct. 3, girls’ varsity volleyball played Choate in a nailbiting three games. Although down in the first game, Big Red rallied at a crucial point and the match 3-0.

“The first game took us a little while to get going—for a little bit there we were down, but we made a really great comeback,” upper Rachel Luo said. “Coach Shang called a timeout at an essential time and from that we came back, dominating the next two games.”

“Not only have we not lost a game, but our energy and chemistry as a team is fantastic. We truly all love being together and playing together.”

This match against Choate was a milestone in the Academy’s pursuit of a second consecutive New England Championship. Last year, Choate was a formidable contender for the title, and the dominating win on Saturday puts the Academy well on its way for a repeat performance.

“I think that it was a good indicator of our potential,” Luo said. “We still have a long way to go.”

To beat Choate, both the individual players and the team united to function at its highest level of performance. Seniors and captains Katya Scocimara and Michelle Bosché displayed powerful hits and kills. Upper Katherine Dumoulin had a long streak of great serves, serving 10 points in a row. Senior Jess Hebl had amazing digs and receives during the games as well.

Luo believed that the girls came together beautifully and powerfully on Saturday. “It’s hard to explain,” Luo said. “We connected really well together. Some balls that we shouldn’t have been able to get in play, we ended the point with.”

Scocimara agreed with Luo. “Not only have we not lost a game, but our energy and chemistry as a team is fantastic,” Scocimara said. “We truly all love being together and playing together.” This energy and team spirit carried onto the court during the girls’ game against Pomfret on Wednesday, Oct. 7. Big Red beat Pomfret in three sets, but according to Scocimara, didn’t play to its potential.

This past weekend, however, Big Red faced its first minor setback of the season. Although the Academy won against Loomis Chaffee, they lost its first set of the season. According to lower Chloe Scocimara, the game was one of the toughest of the entire season, and after losing motivation in the first set, Big Red rallied and won the next three sets.

“We didn’t play with the passion we did during the rest of the game during the first set,” Chloe Scocimara said. “But during the last three sets we grew better, connected better, picked each other up when we fell, and pushed forward with an insatiable hunger.”

Currently, Big Red stands with a perfect record, having lost only one set to Loomis. The success is largely in part due to the team’s chemistry. “Our energy and interaction as a team is fantastic,” Katya Scocimara said. “We truly all love being together and playing together, and we’re looking to win.”