Quickly and somewhat quietly, the WardlaLAartridge girls’ volleyball team has emerged as a force this fall. The Rams more than doubled their win total from last year and finished the season with a 10-6-1 record, but numbers don’t tell the entire story.
First-year head coach Raquel Belo, who took over the program after serving as the JV coach, is thrilled with the progress the girls are making. While she’s moved a few players to new positions to cover the court, Belo credits the hard work, effort and determination of the girls for the team’s rapid turnaround. Joining club teams, attending camps and clinics in the off-season have elevated their play and confidence. Belo is also impressed by their athleticism and noted that one intangible value that truly fuels her team.
“They are just a really good group of caring and compassionate girls.” Coach Belo said. “From the day I started coaching them as a JV coach, I tried to instill a ‘this is our family’ value in our girls. They spend so much time together and go through so many ups and downs together. Thinking of your teammate as your family helps with the downs and makes the ups that much sweeter. They are also strong mentally and physically. They don't give up.”
After sputtering around the .500 mark early in the season, the Rams got hot in October and put together a five-match win streak. Recent 2-1 victories over Gill St. Bernard’s, Timothy Christian and South Plainfield in the first round of the GMC Tournament continued the team’s momentum.
Lone senior Cherice Clarke ’23, an outside hitter, is one of the team’s most powerful players with fierce serves and spikes. Outside hitter Hannah Yin ’24, setter Kayla Martel ’24, middles Gbemi Olarewaju ’24 and Naomi Valcourt ’24, libero Zara Zaidi ’24 and side hitter Anushka Dalal ’24 lead a strong junior class.
“Hannah has incredible court awareness and team leadership,” Belo said. “Her jump serve is a force to be reckoned with. She is an all-around athlete but also a considerate and caring teammate.”
Hannah blasted a season-high 19 aces in an exciting 2-1 victory over Perth Amboy in October. She believes the team’s work ethic and bonding are true strengths.
“I think one of the key aspects is that many players took the time to better their own skills for the benefit of the whole team during the offseason. Additionally, most of the varsity players are juniors and we all have a close connection with each other on and off the court,” Hannah said.
Kayla’s amazing work as the team’s setter, Gbemi and Naomi’s blocking and putting balls away, and Zara’s improvement at libero have also propelled the Rams. Anushka and sophomore Rhea Thurumella ’25 have also played well and scored points with powerful serves.
Coach Belo simply cited “heart” as the main ingredient in her team’s success: “They are all individuals who love this sport and work hard to become great at it. They come together on the court as a family and always leave their all on the court. I couldn't be prouder of the team I have been blessed to coach this year.”
Finishing second in the GMC Blue Division was quite an accomplishment for a team that won just three matches last fall. Having tasted success this year, Rams are determined to climb even higher in 2023. The players and coaches will continue working to achieve higher goals.
“The season is not just built in the September to November months, it's the work you put in on the off-season that builds the powerhouse teams,” Belo said. “That's why I wanted the girls to go and watch the Rutgers games, or some of the stronger high school teams. I want them to want that. I want them to want to be that Nebraska middle hitter or libero.”
“As a team, we will be doing much work during the off-season in order to better ourselves individually and come back even stronger next year,” Kayla added. “Next season, we hope to advance further in the tournaments we enter and become top of our division, as we came very close this year.”