The gym lights are back on and the stands are filling up for the girl’s volleyball matches. With a new lineup the team aims to reform their identity on the court.

Unlike last year’s veteran heavy team, this season’s team includes new players, leading to a shift in the team’s dynamics towards building camaraderie and developing the skills of the players. 

“Last year was my first year on varsity,” junior libero Gabriella Roper said. “I thought our captains were really good; they were always uplifting, had overall a lot of heart and compassion. This year we have a lot of newcomers, they’re still learning and we’re just trying to figure out how to play as a team.”

Last season, the team reached the Virginia High School League Class 6 state final, ending up as a runner-up after a 3-2 loss to Langley High School. With a record of 6-7 as of Oct. 14, coach Daniel Molina believes that the team can stay competitive, despite the challenge of adjusting to new players and positions.

“By all means, our program is a strong program, so our goal is to be in the finals of the district,” Molina said. “If we make it to regionals, we can go all the way to states, but it’s one step at a time. For now, the mentality is to get to districts and then go to regionals.”

With the departure of players such as Lameen “Mimi” Mambu, a former varsity captain and outside hitter, the team is seeing contributions from players such as juniors Skyler Riley and Erin Green and senior Julia Horan. Riley is leading in both kills (111) and kills per set (3.8), Green is also strong on the offensive side, with a high number of kills (97), and Horan demonstrates a high hit percentage (0.217).

“I definitely think that Skyler has done really well in trying to fulfill that offensive spot that we lost,” senior setter Sarah Kim said. “In general, our whole team has been trying to work harder.”

With a record of 2-5 in the Concorde region, the team’s performance has been impacted by injuries and illness earlier this season. Chantilly’s regular season ended on Oct. 23 and postseason games began on Nov. 1.

“We have struggled a bit,” Molina said. “It will take more resilience, more vision [so] that we can get the job done. We’re getting there. We’re not there yet, but we’re working to establish the chemistry we want.”