As winter looms on the horizon, the volleyball season comes to an end. On October 23, Tenafly played at home against Dumont on Senior Night. For the ’25 graduates, this marked their last home game of their high school athletic careers, and they helped make it a memorable, winning send-off.
Tenafly kicked off the game with a seventeen-point lead over Dumont, and the athletes “were able to come out super strong and…get everyone in the game,” Amanda Fukui (’25 ), captain of the team, said. “Our energy was really high, and it was amazing to see all the parents there supporting us.” Yuri Song (’25), senior athlete on the Tenafly Girls Volleyball Team, echoed that sentiment: “For that game, we had the best energy throughout the season. I just think that our goal of trying to put other seniors in the game really gave us a little boost to win.” The twenty-five-to-eight score boosted everyone’s morale and marked a perfect ending to the senior athletes’ final high school home game.
Though Tenafly Volleyball seemed to overcome anything thrown at them, success didn’t come without struggle. “I think one of our biggest challenges was developing court chemistry because we had so many new teammates,” Fukui said. “It was our first time playing with each other for most of us. We have grown so much closer, and I didn’t realize how important chemistry was until it really made a difference in our energy during our games.”
Building that chemistry was key to the team’s success, but it also came with added pressure, especially for the seniors. “The Tenafly volleyball program has always been super strong, so the seniors and I have definitely felt a lot of pressure because we wanted to give the underclassmen as good an experience as we had in our first few years,” Fukui said. “I am going to miss Tenafly Volleyball, and I know these girls will carry on strong.”
“There’s a whole ceremony in the beginning where they give us flowers, and we take pictures with our parents and a group picture with all the seniors,” Song said. As high energy saturated the gym, each upperclassman was welcomed with flowers, balloons, and lined- up underclassmen, paving the way towards the upcoming win. “You could really see how the younger girls wanted to be there for the seniors,” said Fukui.
“I didn’t think I’d be this sad,” remarked Song. “What do you mean I’m not bringing two bags to school anymore, and I don’t have practice tomorrow?” After years of dedication, hard work, and injuries, all athletes have formed an irreplaceable bond with not only volleyball but also the team. Beyond sportsmanship and techniques, the team learned life lessons together. “Koehler always said, ‘Have a goldfish mindset: Whenever you make a mistake, just shake it off and just try your best for your next play,’” recalled Song.
While the seniors experience this bittersweet moment, Fukui expressed optimism for the future. “The next few years are looking so great for Tenafly volleyball,” she said. “Next year and the following years, please come to these games. These are some of the strongest girls we’ve had, and I think we are going to make it very far.” As the seniors pass on the torch, the future of Tenafly volleyball looks promising, with future athletes ready to take the court and continue the program’s success.
