By BREANA TAN, freshman

“Chick-chick-boom!” What’s that? It’s the sound of the Lady Hawks’ volleyball team cheering after scoring a point. The season is in its final stages, and with records of 12-2, 16-8, and 15-9 from the freshman, junior varsity, and varsity teams, respectively, these ladies are definitely a force to be reckoned with. Talk about girl power!

The freshman team, coached by JP Stevens boys’ volleyball veteran Chris Medvecky, has been cruising through its season. So far, the Lady Hawks have had ten consecutive wins in the past few weeks. Seeing them play now, no one would have guessed that they had started the season off on a shaky start. They went from serving balls that hit their teammates and allowing free balls to drop to establishing a fortified camaraderie, delivering vicious float serves, and maintaining a cooperative and aggressive offense and defense. Compared to the team on court during the first scrimmage of the season, this squad seems to have undergone rebirth, as if a whole new team of skilled volleyball players came and replaced the old members.

Through the emotions, waterworks, and exasperated rants between practices about communicating better, the Lady Hawks have improved their skills tenfold. They have shown their improvement through the past several games, when they crushed their opponents, either by winning in straight sets or dominating the deciding set. Coach Medvecky says, “I think the team has a very bright future because we have an incredibly strong freshman class. There are seven freshmen who have contributed on JV, and three on the varsity team. We continue to improve every day!” Surely, the Lady Hawks will be able to wipe the floor with any other team who thinks they stand a chance!

Coach White notes, “JV is the building block to any successful varsity team.” Both teams’ offensive plays are fast and powerful; opponents usually struggle so much as to touch the ball. The Lady Hawks’ defensive skills are potent as well. They are seen standing in a ready position to pass at one second, and the next, they are sprawled out on the floor like a carpet: that’s when you know that they just made an awesome save to get the ball back into play. Varsity captains Lorraine Mackiewicz, Jillian Pastor, and Adrianna Pagnotta have led this charge of success. In fact, the varsity team has received contributions from several directions. As of October 15, senior Lorraine Mackiewicz has had a total of 296 kills, junior Jess Liu has had a total of 469 assists, and libero junior Amanda Gu has had a total of 195 digs. Coach Savulich, who agrees that the the girls have a lot of potential, notes, “If they can maintain a high level of chemistry, they will definitely make it far in the GMCs.”

There is no doubt that these talented athletes will be able to live up to high expectations. But to win games or advance to the GMC Tournament, the Lady Hawks don’t need luck because they have skills. “Chick-chick-boom!”