With the loss of nationally acclaimed superstar Harper Murray, the Skyline Girls’ Volleyball Team had to find their footing without her this season.
The Eagles are standing at a 12-7 record, the Varsity team looks to recapture last year’s form. “I think we will [make it to playoffs] this year,” said varsity co-captain Kate Maley (‘24).
Skyline has had a great start to the season beating Monroe High School 3-0, they have continued to battle and use what they learn to win games. “How we play in practice is how we are going to play in games,” said Maley. “So we really try to motivate ourselves and each other during practice because that translates into games.”
The coaches emphasize the importance of hard work and focus during practice across not only the Varsity team, but also the JV and Freshman teams. “A big thing is our energy, if one person gets down, then the rest of the team gets down,” said Freshman team co-captain Nikki Yastchenko (‘27). “It is really important to have a good mindset and a positive attitude for playing.”
For most sports at Skyline, their biggest rival is either Pioneer or Huron. But for volleyball, it is Saline. “They’ve been our biggest rival all four years that I’ve been here,” said Maley. “I love playing them.”
In the 2022 Varsity season, each school came away with one win each, setting the stage for an exciting rematch this season. The varsity team ended up falling to Saline 0-3 in a hard-fought loss on October 5th.
Fans were key in creating excitement and energy to help encourage the Eagles in their season-opening victory over Dexter. “Depending on how many people there are, it is more hype if there are a lot of people cheering us on,” said Yastchenko “And if there’s not as many, it’s not as hype.”
Girls volleyball has a reputation as one of the most competitive teams around. Many things go into building a successful team, not only to the hours of commitment but also the camaraderie of the team. “I love my teammates,” said JV co-captain Joci Wall (‘26) “I like all the coaching system. It is really good and everyone is super supportive of each other.”
