Photo by: @shotbydavin_ / Instagram
From the start of the fall sports season, the Mills Girls Volleyball team has set the bar high for success. Throughout the preseason and first half of league play, all three teams, Freshman, JV and Varsity, have been working hard to bring home victory.
For the freshman team, success is found through their perseverance as they continue to practice diligently. Despite the challenges they have faced, the young team looks forward to their season ahead.
One of the freshman’s liberos, Kaleigh Chin (9), states, “We’re all growing as a team and we’re getting better every time we play at practice and at games.” The team keeps their heads up after every game, no matter the outcome, and is actively finding new areas to improve in.
Chin emphasizes, “Overall, we work pretty well as a team on the court,” highlighting the freshman’s connection and unity with one another.
Teamwork has been especially important for the JV team, as they go on to face tough competition. JV’s team chemistry is already strong, but the team is working on strengthening that bond even more this season and working with all their teammates.
JV setter Alanna Germain (10) said, “I really like the team environment and working with each other, to hype each other up, build off each other, and not just like it’s all on you.”
The JV team got off to a rough start during the preseason, but gained strong momentum as the league season took off. They continue to perform well in league play, with their record being on a three win streak. They stay hopeful as the season goes on and hope to continue growing as a team.
With competitive spirit and unbeatable chemistry, the Varsity team continues to dominate the court. Through their highs and lows, one player has especially stuck out in their recent success: Varsity’s middle blocker, Abigail Purvey (11). Purvey was nominated for San Mateo Daily Journal’s Athlete of the Week, as she compiled an impressive 45 kills, only during the first week of the preseason.
When first hearing about the exciting news, she remembered, “My coach sent it in our group chat, and I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, this is great!’” But this achievement did not come without its hard work, as Purvey explains, “Over the summer, I trained a lot more for this season, so I think that really paid off. And then also just putting in the work in general.”
Purvey also shares her goal of playing volleyball after high school, and how it has motivated her to work harder and play better this season. The Varsity team continues to play with resilience throughout the season, as they go on to reach new heights together.
Purvey adds, “I think we have a really good chance of winning a lot more games this year.”
As the Mills Girls Volleyball program carries on to secure victory, players stay optimistic about the other half of the season to come. Most importantly, teams forge new friendships and solidify old ones. When asked what they envision, Germain replies, “Well, hopefully winning. But besides that, I think that it’s gonna be a really fun season.”