Matt Goisman
Girls Volleyball Back To Defend Division Title
By Matt Goisman, Belmont Voice correspondent
Belmont made history in its 2023 girls volleyball season. The Marauders won the Liberty Division of the Middlesex League for the first time, finishing the season with a 17-2 record. The team looked like it could challenge the school record for most wins in a season, only to drop its Division 1 first-round playoff game at home to a lower-seeded Lincoln-Sudbury team.
“We knew we had a lot of strength and had what we needed to do well, but I think there was a little bit of feeling more comfortable than we should have,” said Belmont coach Jen Couture. “This year, we’re coming in knowing we don’t magically have everything we need. We’re going to have to really work hard and play well together to win those games.”
The 2023 team benefitted from a senior-heavy squad that anchored the front line, and filling the roles of players lost to graduation last spring will be one of the 2024 squad’s biggest challenges. Belmont’s top hitter last year was a senior, as were its top three blockers.
“We’re looking for people that’ll step up and be the ones earning us those points,” Couture said. “It’s just a matter of working on our hits and figuring out what our blocking situation will be.”
Couture will need to rebuild her team’s offense this fall, but junior setter Sophia Qin is back for her second year as the Marauder’s primary offensive facilitator. Qin also led the team in aces last year, and she’ll be helped out by classmate Wuyee Ke, an all-around player capable of hitting, serving, and defending.
“Our defense and our setting are the biggest strengths we’re bringing back this year,” Couture said. “It’s exciting to me thinking that this is one of those teams where more people might get opportunities to surprise you and step up.”
Senior Gabrielle Hashioka, who led the team in digs last season, will co-captain the team with classmate Wenxi Wang.
“I’m super-excited to see how well we perform during our matches and to see if our hard work and persistence during the pre-season paid off,” Wang said. “After losing our seniors from last year, there are definitely some adjustments that need to be made to live up to last year’s season. Nonetheless, all of us have improved dramatically from the previous season, and our team chemistry has been great.”
Belmont’s season starts with a challenging home game on Sept. 11 against Melrose. The Marauders beat the Red Raiders to kick off their 2023 campaign, but Melrose has won the Middlesex-Freedom Division for 17 straight years and went to the Division 2 state quarterfinals last fall.
Other key match-ups include Sept. 18 and Oct. 18 showdowns with Woburn, the only Middlesex-Liberty team to beat the Marauders last fall.
“Melrose is definitely one of the matches that is most important for us because of how difficult of an opponent they are,” Wang said. “Last year, we were able to win each set just by a couple points so it’ll definitely be an interesting game to watch and play in. Also because Melrose is the first match in the season, it is important to start the season off strong.”
