The History of Pentucket Volleyball

Recently, the Pentucket volleyball team has risen to the top, becoming the standout team on campus. Their recent string of victories and impressive performances have set them apart, and are making them a threat in the CAL.

As we all know, the CAL is very competitive in most sports, if not all of them. In terms of volleyball, Ipswich has gone undefeated (in the CAL) for the past three seasons, Newburyport and Essex Tech have very competitive teams and programs, and Triton, is a consistently growing and strong team. 

In the past, the Pentucket team has struggled to find victory; winning zero league games since 2019. 

However, the 2023-2024 season was a season for the books. 

Although the team went 2-9 in the league last season, it was the first time they had won a league game since the program was developed 6 years ago. 

This is mostly due to the fact that when the program was originally created, many girls joined for the mere enjoyment rather than the competition.

The Rise

Over the past two years things have changed. Pentucket Girls Volleyball is now a serious contender within the CAL and within state rankings. 

3rd year captain and 4th year starting libero and defensive specialist, senior Jocelyn Bickford suggested: “Since we have been playing together for so long, there is a lot more cohesion on the court and people are more accustomed to playing with each other. We have really been able to learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and we know how to balance eachother out.”

Senior captain Maisie King shared a very similar opinion on the team’s success saying, 

“I think freshman year (2021 season) we had so many people, and people were just starting the sport because we do not have a youth league or youth teams. It is pretty cliche, but with time has come experience. People play club, in-season, it has just been a matter of getting those extra hours in on the court.”

King and Bickford also talked about the team’s morale and how they have learned to “keep looking forward and having a positive mindset; thinking about the next game, instead of thinking about the last game. We even do that when we win, it is always about the next game. It does not matter how you did the day before, it matters how you do the day after.”

The current senior class has had a major influence and effect on the team success, playing and rallying together for the past four years. The Pentucket Volleyball 2025 seniors are: Captain Mia Bartholomew, Captain Jocelyn Bickford, Captain Maisie King, Emily Bethmann, Brie Brancato, Clara Cavallini, Shannon Christopher, Kailyn Cray, Kat Valeri, and Amber Wood. 

The current senior class has major goals and high expectations for the team this season.

Head coach Kelly Lyons talked about how “Most of the team has been together for four years. They are good kids, they work hard, they have great attitudes, they want to compete; and I think that has been able to help them stay positive and not get down on themselves.”

Most of the team now, having been playing together for four years, has developed incredible team chemistry on and off the court. 

King added, “I think the upperclassmen being role models on and off the court is really important. The energy and effort we put out onto the court is emulated by the underclassmen and makes them want to work harder and do better.”

The future of Pentucket Volleyball is bright.

Come support the Panthers!