As Amherst volleyball kicks off their season, some of the players were asked to give their opinions on how they are feeling about the ongoing season. Freshmen Rachel Portmann who plays outside hitter said they’ve been doing well and played well against Manawa. She said she loves the girls and how much fun they have together. They always make sure to lift each other up when they need it and are a close group.
Sophomore Ivy Boelk said she’s looking forward to the home games where the student section is louder than ever filled with Amherst students. When asked how the season is going she said, “Good, I think we still have some things to work on, but we’re looking better than last year.”
Allison Lassa, who plays right side, said, “My goals for this season are to stay consistent with the basics, have fun with my friends, and play the sport I love.” Allison also said one of the things she most looking forward to is team bonding.
Meanwhile, middle blocker Amara Beaudoin said she’s feeling confident about the season so far. “The competition is hard, but we’re right there with everyone else” is what she said when asked about how the season was going. She’s looking forward to competing at a high level with her teammates. “Our strengths are that we’re a close group and enjoy playing together, we’re also good at passing and hitting,” she added.
Head coach Kim Beaudoin sees a team that’s getting better as the season progresses. “The season so far has had some ups and downs. We are learning as a team how to finish tight games, how to bounce back from a loss point to not make it more loss points. We have a great group of athletes that are hungry to play, who are expanding their knowledge of the game and have great chemistry. We are winning the games that count.”
When asked what she’s most looking forward to, Beaudoin said, “I look forward to game days when we can apply what we have trained to do. I love the energy the team and fans have on game days. The team and I love all the fans and the excitement they bring to the game, the girls really feed off of it.”
As for coaching her own daughter, Beaudoin noted that she’s both a coach and ultimately a mom. “I really love being in the front seat and part of her journey of developing into the best athlete, player, teammate, and person she can be. We are able to learn the game together and get better as a team. I am one proud mom and coach of all of her accomplishments so far.”
The Amherst volleyball team has started off the season with a 2-0 conference record, and is looking forward to the rest of the season.
