The hoots and hollers down the halls and the gymnasium are not a pep rally or a football game; it is a Cinnaminson High School Girls Volleyball game. The energy at a single game is incomparable to the edge-of-your-seat tension anywhere else, and with a winning record of 14-13 it is well deserved. This year’s Volleyball team differs from that of years past. This isn’t a team categorized as young, or old, or winning, or losing; this season’s team is a simply a talented, fresh team.

Nevertheless, those that helped to get this winning record may be found throughout the halls of CHS; Specifically, A hall. The younger players on the team have helped to make up for the loss of seniors to come. Not only did they fill spaces, but they are even working hard enough to one day match senior talent. Coming into this season, “I thought the season was going to be better than last year, because we had young players who had improved a bit and we had more experienced varsity players,” told Megan Coslove, senior captain and four year veteran of volleyball. She continued to point out that, “at least 6 freshman have started as JV.”

Along with Coslove and Mariah Wood, the other seniors are Ashley Crow and Gokce Turkoglu.

This large gain of players with skill, and even those without, was not a lucky coincidence. What got the girls where they are today in the ranks is mainly practice and a focused work ethic. Many of the girls on the CHS team also play on a winter club team. So while not on the courts of CMS they are working hard outside of school with their teammates.

In each sport having supportive or assistive teammates is always a great mix to a successful season. Chemistry and communication are key and that is just what the CHS Girls’ Volleyball team has.

Stronger than the chemistry of the team is the team’s spirit. The combination of dedication, camaraderie, and spirit is what gives CHS girls volleyball a winning season. Camden Catholic Varsity middle hitter Jasmine Williams acknowledged that one thing she takes away from each game against Cinnaminson is that “they’re very scrappy and they remain aggressive even when they’re down. They also stay motivated; they don’t let it bring them down [if losing]. They’re always smiling and enjoying themselves, and staying as a team.”

There is much support from the girl’s teammates as well as their constructive coaches. Cinnaminson Middle School (CMS) Teacher Mr. Mooney is in charge of JV and his counterpart at CMS Coach Skvir is in charge of the varsity girls. Each coach is happy to cheer on their girls and help to point out their mistakes so they can learn from them right away. “Mrs. Skvir would record us playing and tell us exactly what we’re doing wrong so it could help us,” explained Coslove. This type of constructive coaching has helped the girls’ Volleyball program to excel.

On Wednesday October 29, the girls played Camden Catholic. The Camden Catholic coach, Al Trubin shared what he saw as the skill in Cinnaminson that makes them one of Camden Catholics hardest opponents, “They’re [Cinnaminson] really good. They play really consistent and they’re defense is really good,” he also noticed Megan Coslove (the teams libero) and Mariah Wood (the teams setter) as standout players.

Mariah has been one of the most improved since her first time on the team. She has gone from being second setter, and playing mainly bench, to staring Varsity as setter with little to none sub-ins.

Megan herself is a perfect example of what dedication in a sport, especially volleyball, can do. Coslove has played “since the womb” as she phrases, but never stops getting better. Coming into high school freshman year she was “terrible… awful,” (her own words) but, “Since freshmen year I have improved so much ‘cause I do club [volleyball],” Coslove has gone to a point where she feels that she should have been cut (freshman year) to the ability to play every position but one. This skill adorns her with the unique uniform of a black or white tank top, as opposed to the other matching team colors. Also to have this unique privilege on the JV squad is sophomore Andrea Torres.

Whereas JV may not seem to matter much, they are the future of the school teams after graduation comes around. The team won’t be left empty handed because “right now Andrea Torres is looking to fill Megan Coslove’s shoes and Joanna Ostrowski is going to cover Mariah as our setter,” explained Skvir.

In volleyball a team must have good chemistry with your team because each player must be ready to cover their teammate’s mistakes. “The chemistry of the team is much better than previous years. We’ve had years where there’s been a lot of girl drama, and this year we squashed it all really early and I think they have come together and they are a great group.”

The CHS volleyball team never criticizes their own if it is unnecessary, only helpful critiquing is done if it will be beneficial.

“I always tell the girls, ‘you’re part cheerleader when you’re a volleyball player,’ [you really need] A lot of good sportsmanship. That’s part of the game, like getting hyped up and cheering cause you can’t really cheer during the play, so you can’t yell at your team mates but after the plays done you can be like, ‘yeah ok! Let’s do it again!’” Skvir explains. She continued to say, “I try to get them to get pumped up and clap and get loud before the games.”

The girls are entering the playoffs against Roselle on Wednesday, struggling a bit lately, having lost four out of their previous six matches.  The only two wins the team has had are against Camden and Winslow, two teams who normally struggle. However, with the playoffs on the horizon, anything can happen at this time of the year.

The girls take on Roselle at 5 p.m. on Wednesday evening in the first round in the Group 1 playoffs.