Following a stellar 2023 season, Greenwich Country Day School’s volleyball team entered its 2024 campaign with high expectations and so far this fall, they have certainly met their early-season goals.

Seven matches into its FAA schedule, Greenwich Country Day has five victories and is near the top of the league standings, while earning impressive wins along the way.

One of the Tigers’ latest wins occurred this past Wednesday against another Tigers team based in the Town of Greenwich – Sacred Heart Greenwich. Improving its record to a sparkling 10-2 overall and 5-2 in the FAA, Greenwich Country Day swept host Sacred Heart Greenwich, 3-0. GCDS won the match by set scores of 25-21, 25-20, 25-17.

Junior outside hitter Cara Lehmitz recorded 15 kills and 18 digs to help power GCDS past SHG. The Tigers of GCDS held the momentum the majority of this FAA matchup.

“Volleyball is a very momentous sport, so energy is super important throughout the entire game,” Lehmitz said. “When we have amazing energy, we’re an incredible team and when we’re not it can go the other way. We had great energy today and that comes from everyone.”

Junior outside hitter Grace Gapen, who attended Sacred Heart Greenwich and played volleyball for SHG in previous years, totaled 16 kills and 13 digs, while senior middle blocker Willa Ball registered nine kills and four digs for GCDS.

“A big thing we’ve been working on as a team is maintaining our communication, starting strong and finishing strong,” said Ball, also one of Greenwich Country Day’s captains. “That’s been a big key for us in practice and what we’ve been working on. We’re making sure we are initiating that and always keeping up our energy and communication on every play.”

Junior Mackenna Kelly posted 10 kills, seven digs and one block, while senior captain Evangelyn Forte had seven kills, six digs and two blocks for Sacred Heart (4-8, xx FAA).

“It’s definitely hard to lose to that team, I do think that we played well, they’re just a great team,” Forte said. “I just think that for us working on our defense more that was something that we struggled with. We couldn’t run our offense much, because our hitters rarely got set, since we couldn’t pass the ball.”

In the first game, a kill by sophomore Anna Hill put GCDS ahead, 6-2. An ace by freshman Maya Steinhardt later in the opening set gave Greenwich Country Day a 10-5 advantage. Sophomore Ana Pizzimbono’s kill brought Sacred Heart to within 13-10, a little later in the first set an ace by Lehmitz increased GCDS’ lead to 17-12.

Lehmitz kill capped Greenwich Country Day’s 25-21 first set win. GCDS coach Morgan Withrow is pleased with the performance level and improvement her team has displayed throughout the season.

“I’m excited, we have two new freshman setters, so it’s like the quarterback of the volleyball team, so we’ve been trying to get them more repetitions in stressful moments,” Withrow said. “I have a lot of leadership in our hitters, so it’s an interesting flip for our team to be dealing with trying to train some setters on the run.”

Steinhardt, a freshman setter, tallied 11 assists and six digs, while Ryan Milim, also a freshman setter, notched 21 assists and six digs in the winning effort. The Tigers of GCDS also showed strong defensive play and serving during their win against the Tigers of SHG.

“High School volleyball is as complicated as you make it,” Withrow noted. “A lot of times it’s good enough to just get it over and in. We try to be very purposeful about our serving.”

“I’m really proud of defense,” Withrow continued. “Our libero is a three-year starter for us, both of our outsides are three-year starters for us, so there’s no reason why defense shouldn’t be a strength. It’s hard for teams to beat us with our defense.”

Julianna Luzzi continued her impressive freshman season for Sacred Heart, registering eight digs with one ace and Sophia Berlingo, also a freshman, had four aces and four digs for SHG.

“Hopefully, if we play them again in the playoffs it will be a different match,” Forte said.

Gapen concluded the second set, a 25-20 win, for GCDS with a kill.

In previous seasons, including the 2024 campaign, Gapen helped lead Sacred Heart to winning seasons. One season ago, SHG advanced to the FAA Tournament final and the NEPSAC Class A Tournament title match.

“I was definitely nervous coming into it, but at the end of the day, I still love them with my whole heart,” Gapen said of the match.” I grew up with them, I grew up with the coach, I have respect for them, so it was a hard game.”

Junior outside hitter Charlotte Darwent had two kills and two digs for Greenwich Country Day, which took the third set versus SHG, 25-17.

“I think there’s stuff we can work on, but we came back when we were down and I’m proud of how hard we fought,” Gapen noted. “If we keep playing this strong and playing this well, we’ll have a very good spot (in the FAA and NEPSAC tournaments). “I’m excited to see what we can do this year.”

Greenwich Country Day is hosting Austin Prep today (Oct. 19) at 12:30 p.m., then hosts Millbrook School on Oct. 23.

Sacred Heart plays Greens Farms Academy in Westport today (Oct. 19) at 1 p.m.

“I think that we are a better team than we have been,” Ball said. “We have been beating teams that we never beat before at this game. GA (Greenwich Academy) in particular, we’re really proud about. I think that we’re really making a name for ourselves what Greenwich Country Day volleyball can be and what it’s going to be in the future. Our goal is to win both the FAA ands NEPSAC championships. That would be the dream.”

“The big thing of our chemistry is we’re all best friends,” Lehmitz said. “I’m really excited about our team, we have so much potential.”