New season, same high expectations and goals.

After experiencing a 2025 season in which it captured the CIAC Class LL Tournament championship, the FCIAC Tournament title and earned 25 wins, while losing just once, the Greenwich High School varsity girls volleyball team is primed and poised to produce another fantastic fall campaign.

“After last year’s great season, we obviously, won states and FCIACs, our goal is to obviously, win states and FCIACs again,” said Greenwich High senior captain Heidi Zieme, who was named the MVP of the 2025 CIAC Class LL Tournament final. “But not only that, we want to be a strong, solid team and this season, we want to go undefeated in sets too, that’s one of our big goals and so far, we’re doing a successful job.”

Indeed, the Cardinals have been absolutely flawless through their first three matches, defeating Brien McMahon, Fairfield Ludlowe and Fairfield Warde by scores of 3-0. The Cardinals’ latest win came Sept. 18 against visiting Fairfield Warde in a rematch of last season’s CIAC Class LL Tournament semifinals. Greenwich, which swept Fairfield Warde on its way to reaching the state tourney’s championship match one season ago, topped the Mustangs on Sept. 18th, 25-20, 25-21, 25-17.

“We know that Warde is a really good and strong team,” Zieme said following Greenwich’s home triumph versus Fairfield Warde. “They are one of our biggest competitors. So, our goal was to come out swinging and play very well, like we always try to. They are a really strong team, so we had to come out playing our game, instead of playing down or playing to another team’s level.”

Returning an impressive nucleus of athletes from last season’s 25-1, championship squad, Greenwich received numerous impressive performances in its victory against Warde, which was its second home matchup of the season.

Senior captain/setter Victoria Sullivan registered 22 assists, eight digs, three kills, two blocks and three service points, senior captain Kayah Armstrong posted nine kills, three digs, one assist, one block and nine service points and Zieme recorded 11 kills, 20 digs, four service points and two blocks for the Cardinals (3-0).

Warde, which dealt the Cards their only loss last season before GHS returned the favor in the state tournament semifinals, gave the hosts a tough test in this FCIAC matchup. Greenwich emerged victorious, displaying stellar play at the net, a strong defensive effort and solid serving.

As the early-season results indicate, Greenwich is riding the momentum it gathered from last year’s storybook season.

“We’re definitely on a high from last year as well, we’re just looking to do as best as we can and hopefully, repeat it,” Sullivan said.

Greenwich’s varsity volleyball roster includes seven seniors, five juniors and two freshmen.

“I think something really special about our team is we don’t really have any holes, everyone is so talented,” Sullivan said. “We have a player at every position that’s able to put the ball away and able to get some great digs and they’re just all-around skilled players.”

Losing only one regular season match, the Cardinals went 7-0 during the postseason last fall, including victories against Newtown, Trumbull, Fairfield Warde and Glastonbury in the CIAC Class LL Tournament. The Cards beat Glastonbury, 3-1, in the Class LL state final, winning the match by set scores of 24-26, 25-20, 25-9, 25-20, for their fourth state title. Greenwich won the state championship in 2010, 2017, 2021 and 2025.

Seeded first, Greenwich was victorious versus second-seeded Fairfield Ludlowe in the championship matchup of the FCIAC Tournament one season ago, 3-1 (25-19, 14-25, 25-22, 25-15). The Cardinals also have a championship pedigree in the FCIAC tourney, winning the conference title in 2025, 2021, 2017 and 2013.

Armstrong earned MVP honors of the 2025 FCIAC final and was named to the All-FCIAC First Team. Zieme also received First Team All-FCIAC accolades and Sullivan earned All-FCIAC Second Team recognition. Bailee Dayon, a junior this season, was an All-FCIAC Third Team selection a year ago. Though GHS has swept past its opponents in its first three matches so far this season, the team is determined to keep ascending.

“I think the most important thing is that we get better every single practice,” Armstrong said. “We come into the gym with the intention of getting better. We are a pretty strong team right now, but there’s always room for improvement.”

“In order to fulfill our goal of repeating and getting these titles, we need to make sure that we improve every time we touch the ball,” Armstrong continued.

In Greenwich’s 3-0 triumph over Warde, Dayon, a libero, provided excellent defensive play, tallying 16 digs and three assists to go along with seven service points. Beatriz Lisboa Da Cunha De Freitas notched 10 digs, 11 assists and four service points in the winning effort.

“I think that we played well today, it was the closest game we’ve had so far,” said Cardinals head coach Marianna Linnehan, who is assisted by coaches George Kailas and Chrys Hernandez. Linnehan credited the Cards trio of senior captains.

“They’re doing a fantastic job,” Linnehan said. “They’re leading well, they’re super positive, they’re being role models on the court, off the court.”

In the first game against Warde, Zieme’s kill gave the Cardinals a 4-3 lead, then the Mustangs tied the score at 4-4. A kill by Lisboa Da Cunha De Freitas, followed by a block by Sullivan made it 6-4 in favor of GHS.

Lisboa Da Cunha De Freitas recorded a kill, closing out the first game and a 25-20 Greenwich win.

The second set saw strong serving by Armstrong get Greenwich off to a positive start with an 11-5 lead. Zieme and Sullivan put down kills several times during the second set, while junior Essa Walsh had key serves for the victors.

With GHS up 24-19, Sullivan executed a well-placed kill, capping the second set and giving the home team a 2-0 advantage.

Greenwich led all the way in taking the third set, 25-17 and sealing the match. Up next this coming week for Greenwich is a home match against rival Ridgefield on Sept. 23rd and a road matchup versus non-conference foe Joel Barlow on Sept. 25th.

“We have a lot of new players and a lot of excellent freshmen,” Armstrong noted. “They are doing a phenomenal job of adapting to the team dynamic. Everybody is friends and also, on the court, we have a dynamic, we are doing a really good job incorporating them and they’re doing an awesome job playing with older people.”

Indeed, the Cardinals’ captains appreciate their especially significant roles.

“It feels amazing, having this leadership role – taking care of our team,” Zieme said. “We have new freshmen on our team, so we’re making them feel welcome and making our team feel like a family. That’s one of our biggest things this year. As a captain, making everyone feel welcome and everyone being so loved on the team. I love our program and being a captain of it is amazing.”

“We’re so lucky to have everyone that’s so talented and so skilled,” Sullivan said. “We’re just so blessed to be on a team that can be so successful and have so much fun when we’re playing. Of course, we would love to repeat it. We want to be FCIAC champs and state champs. We’re going to see how far we could get in the regular season.”

Here’s some more pictures from Greenwich’s 3-0 victory over Fairfield Warde.