The Girls volleyball  team goes 11-4 and works hard to make it to both states and the FCIAC. Coming off of a rocky season last year, the girls have stepped up under captains  Maya Lawande ’16 (setter) and Nikki Lynch ’16 (outside hitter).

Over the past few years, the team has drastically changed due to the great number of seniors who graduated. In the 2014 season, the girls were coming off the incredible 2013 season where they went 22-3 and won the FCIAC and the Class LL championship.

“Over the years I’ve seen a bigger mix of upperclassmen and underclassmen,” Lawande said. “ I think we’ve gotten a lot closer because of it despite our difference in age.”

After losing a number of key players from that team and gaining some talent that needed the time to be honed, the new 2014 varsity team struggled through a tough season and failed to make the FCIAC playoffs. Now, the girls have had a few good games under their belt and have  taken the  last year as a learning experience and have already won more games, such as the one played against the close rival Weston, than the entirety of the previous season’s record.

The success they have earned has been the product of daily practices that consist of serving, passing, setting,  hitting drills and scrimmaging.

One of the elements that has greatly improved is the frontline. A key factor in having a strong front line is  height. Staples is fortunate enough to have both Reece Schachne ’16 at six feet and Ginny Gerig ‘17 at six feet one inch.

But no matter what happens with the rest of the season, it remains the camaraderie and friendships that will stay with Lawande and Lynch. “I love how close we are and how much fun we have together on and off the court,” Lynch said.

The captains truly try to maintain the close atmosphere and try to keep the team’s focus on playing the game together rather than just playing for the win.

“I have met some of my best friends through volleyball and that lasts longer than really great games or title runs,” Lawande reiterates.