First-year head coach Annie Keating has her ConVal girls’ volleyball team off to a strong start this fall.
“I feel like the lucky one to inherit such an amazing team,” Keating said. “The players are so connected and kind and encouraging to each other.”
With former head coach Amanda Hinton now on the sidelines at Keene High, Keating took over a talented team that has excelled in recent years but has yet to fully realize its postseason potential, something she hopes to change this year.
“We want to take it all the way this season,” Keating said. “We are going one game at a time. We’re studying what we can, we’re practicing what we need to in practice, and I think with our collaboration with them and me, I think we’ll take it all the way — that’s the goal. One game at a time.”
The Cougars won their first three games without losing a set, shutting out Gilford on Monday evening, blanking Campbell on Wednesday and then sweeping Manchester West on Friday.
Wednesday’s contest showcased everything the Cougars do well. First Team All-State middle hitter Ivy Armstrong-McEvoy lit up Campbell at the net while outside hitter Zadie Marshall destroyed them with ace serve after ace serve; the two are returning senior captains along with team-voted captain Makayla Durgin.
“They’re absolutely incredible,” Keating said. “They come with such great ideas…They just really care a lot about the team. They play a lot in their offseason too, and they’re really good leaders. It’s rare to find players that are so good and so talented and so kind and good people too.”
Senior outside hitter Ashlynn Williams continues to provide her team energy through a powerful attack and jubilant celebration; junior middle hitter Piper Bernier is beginning to make her presence felt at the net; junior setter Ava Van Horn puts her hitters in position to make plays; junior libero Grace Schuneman can dig and serve with equal aplomb, and Emily Simard, Colby Harris and Lila Grissett, among others, contribute mightily as well.
“It takes them a minute sometimes,” Keating said, “but they gain their confidence and they trust each other and that’s the most important thing. When you have a team that really trusts each other, they can do anything.”
ConVal (3-0) is set to host Fall Mountain (2-3) on Wednesday.