Girls volleyball faces Old Rochester Bulldogs

The Wareham Girls Volleyball team held their own on Sept. 30 despite a loss to the Old Rochester Regional Bulldogs — a team that went undefeated last year.

After a tough first match, the Vikings gave the Bulldogs a challenge, scoring 20 and 18 points in the second and third matches.

Volleyball is the largest sport at the high school this season, with enough players to make up three teams: freshmen, junior varsity, and varsity.

But the team has had limited time to practice, with covid putting the team out of commission for some time. And they have a packed schedule, with games scheduled for Oct. 4, 5, 6, and 7.

“It’s overwhelming,” said Coach Jenna-Lynn Geary. “They’re doing well for what has been handed to us.”

She said that she hopes the team keeps working harder and improving.

“As long as we keep going up in each set, keep improving, instead of just totally giving up, we went the opposite way,” Geary said.

Captain Fredi Gakidis said that the team has a strong bond.

“As a team, we’re really united and we’re really together,” Gakidis said. “We work hard every practice, and I think that one of these games is going to be our game. I feel it.”

Kate Trask, a setter, said that she thinks the team is improving as the season goes on.

“In the moment, it’s really hard to just zone in and be a cohesive unit like we should be,” Trask said. “I think we’re getting over that as the season progresses.”

And the team is resilient.

“If we start out slow, we know that we can come back,” Gakidis said. 

Gakidis and Trask had two theories for the high interest in volleyball this year.

“I feel like just more people want to get involved this year after being cooped up,” said Trask.

Gakidis said she thinks new players are drawn to the team’s spirit.

“I feel like there’s something in us all that when we’re down, we come together, and we’re there for each other and we have each other’s backs no matter what the score is,” Gakidis said.