Libero Lily Feingold (’20) receives the ball with control before smoothly passing it to Captain Brigette Candler (’19). Captain Candler will then send another perfectly placed set to Angelina Tapia (’20), who mercilessly spikes the ball over the net. The kill is nearly impossible for our opponents to return. After winning the point, the six Tigers on the court can’t hide their smiles. They run towards each other and circle up for a quick cheer. The enthusiastic support radiating from the sidelines can be heard across town. The crowd can’t help but jump to its feet and join in with their teammates, who cheer for each player by name.

This perfected play could be seen at any of the Tenafly Girls Volleyball games this fall. Though their season concluded on November 1, the culmination of the team’s skill and determination has carried them to unprecedented success. Undeniable teamwork makes Tenafly’s most spirited team stand out amongst its competitors. These attributes were even evident at practice, where the girls could be found tirelessly working together six out of seven days, relentlessly striving for victory.

Senior captains Brittany Amtman, Brigette Candler, and Grace McCarthy effectively united the team while maintaining the high standards necessary for success. This attitude inspired the varsity team, which consisted entirely of upperclassmen. The girls always gave it their all on the court because, as Maya Harel (’19) explained, “knowing that it was our last season, we held nothing back.” In short, their success stemmed from the seniors’ spirit.

The team’s confidence came from its serendipitous September 6 win against its River Dell rivals. The season opener is usually the hardest and does not yield victory for Tenafly. Sabrina Sadler (’19) admitted that for these reasons, “the first game was really nerve-wracking for us, but it made it that much more exciting to be the underdogs.” Captain Amtman acknowledged how hard the team fought for the astonishing win, proudly recounting, “our team hasn’t beat River Dell since 2008. We made history!” This strong start to the season especially encouraged the girls to maintain that momentum.

Volleyball decided to experiment with new tactics on the court this year. Captain McCarthy reported that the girls adjusted their set up by switching their rotation for the first time. She elaborated that teams typically choose one of two rotations, rover or rotational, for movement on the court. Once the back row chooses their strategy, “they signal the rest of the team, either shouting ‘orange’ for rover or ‘black’ for rotational.” Utilizing rotational “has worked because we now have more people in the back to receive harder spikes.”

As the seniors have played together since their freshman year, they recognized the importance of forming a strong foundation with their team early on. In the past, the team has hosted annual volleyball clinics for middle school students. This year, the captains spearheaded the idea of offering the program to the elementary schools. The clinics were very well received by the elementary school students and will continue to be run in the future.

The girls’ love of the sport was always reciprocated by Coach Koehler, who revealed that he “couldn’t wait to come to practice and see the team.” He praised the team for holding onto its competitive spirit all season long, adding that “the way they carried themselves on the court and in school was excellent.”

Assistant coaches Coach Williams and Coach Brutomesso earned a shoutout from Coach Koehler, as he is grateful that both “put so much time and energy into keeping this program as one of the best in the school.” The team also thanks Mr. Corollo for his integral help in increasing Tenafly’s school spirit. Due to Mr. Corollo’s efforts, the stands were filled with more supportive fans than last year. Senior players felt that the crowd’s contagious enthusiasm heightened the team’s energy and contributed to its overall success.

Tenafly is extremely proud of its girls volleyball team and all that the players achieved this memorable season. It’s no wonder that attendees who planned to just pop in and check out the score often got so enthralled by the game that they ended up staying to watch the entire set. Girls volleyball undoubtedly displayed the vim and vigor necessary for victory. This season, the vivacious varsity seniors have truly shone and left behind a legacy that will impact the program for years to come.