Last year, the Benilde-St. Margaret’s girls’ volleyball team had an exceptional group. The team had five reliable seniors and an extensive bench of underclassmen. The team lost a hard-fought game versus Mound Westonka in the section quarterfinals to end their season. This year, there are only two seniors, which means it will be easier to build a strong, connected team for future years.
BSM girls’ volleyball has a super strong section, with three out of the eight teams ranked in the top 10 for the Minnesota State High School League. With such a young team, Head Coach Michael Becker believes the team is adjusting well and helping the newer players adapt. “Last year, seniors were four-year varsity members, so it’s a big adjustment not having them at practices and on the court. I think we’ve had some players step into those leadership roles really well, which has led to a really good transition into the season,” Becker said.
After losing a group of strong leaders who held the team at a high-intensity level, returning players are put into an important role to keep the team focused. Sophomore captain Sailor Friedly says the team is doing well in practices and staying focused. “I think the intensity is a big change this year, but as a team, we’re doing pretty well since all of us have known each other for a couple of years, so it’s pretty good on that aspect,” Friedly said.
This year, the team started their season with a 3-1 win against New Prague and then a 1-3 loss against Chaska. The team has participated in a few tournaments and has had some tough moments, but overall, they have done well. Junior varsity returner Sophia Black says the team is becoming closer, which is positively impacting their play on the court. “There’s definitely times since we’ve started the season where we’ve gone up and down, and we’ve had very good and bad moments, but I feel like slowly we’re trying to eliminate those bad moments because we’re starting to become closer as a team on and off the court and our chemistry is growing,” Black said.
Although the team lost last year in the section quarter-finals, they are looking for a comeback this season. “I think continuing to battle throughout points and matches will help us be able to extend rallies and minimize errors. The more we’re able to do that right now and make that a habit for ourselves, the better that will set us up for the section season,” Becker said.