The gym on the second floor of the War Memorial has been home to a dynasty of CRLS basketball teams. Many Rindge students might not associate this gym with volleyball, and yet the fall sport brings cheers, smiles, and an intangible sense of successful teamwork to the wooden floors. Spirits were high on November 1st, as the Cambridge team defeated Malden High School in their first match of the state tournament. After the Falcons won the final set, fans rushed onto the court, cheering on the continuation of what had been a remarkable season.
It was obvious that something special was coming back in September, when Cambridge took top-ten ranked Newton South to five sets, setting the tone for the rest of the season. CRLS volleyball had an impressive record: 8 wins and 12 losses, a significant improvement upon their 4-17 mark from a year ago. Finishing the regular season ranked 31st in Division 1, the Falcons were granted automatic entry to the state tournament. Khadimatou Faye ’25, told the Register Forum, “[It was the] greatest season in seven years. [we] made states, [and] lost to the finalists.” Fellow senior Alice Vu ’25 concurred. “I think a big part of our success was our mentality and team chemistry; we all genuinely enjoyed playing together.”
Despite big changes, including a new head coach, the Falcons rallied to have their best season in recent memory. What caused this run of success? Not just training, but the team mentality as well. “We have a lot of positivity on the team, which I think made our experience really fun,” said Samantha Rosenberg ’25. Captain Yanency Fletcher-Lewis agreed, saying, “[We were successful due to] our energy going into games, on the court, off the court.” This year, teammates say, they felt a stronger sense of community. The team also attributed some success to their putting in the necessary work in the offseason. According to fellow captain Deva De Celis ’25, “In the past we’ve all gone in with our own mindsets and our own ideas about what the season’s going to be, but this year we genuinely worked together.”
While the season ended in the second round of the state tournament with a hard fought loss against state #2 team Brookline, the Falcons’ success has left them with much to look forward to. The majority of the team can still be found practicing at the volleyball club on Thursdays after school, and such an impressive season is sure to inspire the boys’ volleyball team for their spring season. It will also create momentum for the girls team going forward. Next year’s team will be different, as eleven varsity seniors will graduate this year. Although the team will be young, they have a bright future ahead of them. According to De Celis, “They definitely have the potential.”
This article also appears in our November 2024 print edition.
