As the Irvington Vikings Girls Volleyball season comes to a close, the Vikings leave with an 8-11 record. The season had its positives and negatives, but the team’s energy, morale, and tenacity propelled them through each challenge as they faced numerous tough opponents. 

The team worked together through various highs and lows, and Defensive Specialist Michelle Nguyen (12) comments, “There were a lot of new players who moved up from JV, which made it harder to develop chemistry with one another and win games.” However lacking in chemistry they were, the team morale was always high, and the team dynamic was always healthy, with “no toxicity at all,” says Nguyen. 

Despite  disheartening losses throughout the season, the team still sought to compete hard and enjoy every challenge. Captain and Outside Hitter Maiya Fontana (12) reflects on a game with American High School, saying “it was a really good, competitive game that was very fast paced and fun.” All the players worked hard throughout the season to make individual improvements, and “everyone always has something that they need to improve on, and something that they drill constantly,” says Fontana. 

Another improvement the team has made throughout the season has been helping each others mentality in practice and  games. Fontana comments, “our energy would really affect how we played.” If the team’s energy was good and their mentality stayed positive, they played better.  

As the season came to a close, the Vikings lost to Moreau 2-3 on their Senior night, where the three seniors, Maiya Fontana, Michelle Nguyen, and Kriti Dandamudi, played their last home game. While reflecting on their season, both Nguyen and Fontana recall a team bonding at Lake Elizabeth’s sand volleyball courts, and how “it was just a day for the team to relax and have fun,” says Fontana. 

Nguyen believes the team will only improve heading into next season as she states, “A lot of the newer players will improve because a lot of them are playing club volleyball, and I’m excited to see how their chemistry will develop next year.”