Can the Girl’s Volleyball Team Go All the Way for the First Time in Timberlane History?

In all of Timberlane Girl’s Volleyball history, the varsity program has not once won a state championship. Frequently known for making it to the first or second round of playoffs, the Owls struggle to find the rhythm they need to make it all of the way to the end. However, under the new coaching of Danielle Stoodley and a shockingly large 16 girl roster, the Owls are looking to change that this year.

Starting off the season with a 2-2 record, the Owls seem to struggle at away games. Being known for having what some call “the most nefarious student section in southern New Hampshire” (courtesy of the TRHS Fan Section Instagram) it has been difficult for the Owls to create their own energy in gyms that are not theirs. However, the Owls have targeted this issue and have found multiple strategic ways to work on this in practice. Coach Danielle Stoodley makes sure it is a priority that her team also focuses on their mental game, which will make it easier for the girls to focus in away team gyms. One strategy she is known for using is to have the team practice with loud music playing in the back, that way they can learn to communicate and create energy off of background noise.  The Owls plan to make a change at their Dover game on Wednesday and come out on top.

In a 16 girl roster, there is nothing short of a strong skill set on this team. For example, in the back row, Lauren Hayes has been running the team defensively since Sophomore year. As a three year starting libero, Hayes dominates the back row and never fails to put a ball up when the team needs her to. For Hayes, being everywhere on the court at all times is no problem, as her ability to read the ball and what the other team is going to do is borderline perfect. “I think this ability comes to me from coaching I’ve had in the past, but a lot of it is noticing slight details about the other team’s players, along with a little bit of volleyball intuition as I like to call it.”  A play cannot be made without a pass first, and Lauren Hayes plans to keep digging until this team finds their way to a state championship.

As the basic rules of volleyball state, once a pass is made, a set needs to be made in order for any of the hitters to put a ball down on the other team. Going into this season, the Owls seemed to have numbers of people who wanted to play, but not many who wanted to set. This concerned the Owls as a strong offense cannot be run without a strong setter, and that is where the knight in shining armor known as Corinne Morrison came in to save the day. Morrison, who is currently playing her first varsity season as a sophomore, filled the setter position with no hesitation and is playing beyond everyone’s expectations. Corrine describes her new experience in the setter position as “quite the task, but I’ve been happy to get the opportunity to try something new. I’m humbled to take on such a big leadership role and help my team out however I can.” Morrison’s knowledge of the game and her skilled hands put her in an unstoppable position that gives the Owl’s offense an immense amount of strength. 

The Owls’ fan section is very well known for going wild whenever any of the hitters on the girls volleyball team are able to hit a strong ball down onto the other team. Lauren Mezquita, an outside hitter who graduated in the class of 2020, was notorious for receiving the “laser beam!” cheer whenever she got her hands on the ball. With such an intense legacy to carry, Sophomore Alison McGonagle is filling her shoes with no problem. The 5’8” outside hitter has been a starting varsity player since her freshman year and is the powerhouse of the Owl’s offense. 

Frequent home game visitors Cooper Kelley and Sam Szczapa call Allison’s way of playing “Full of gracious technique, flawless execution, and tons of power. Zoo wee mama, we would not want to be on the other side of that net. She definitely took us by surprise when we saw her play.” Allison has now been playing volleyball for 5 years, both on club teams and for the school. For McGonagle, perfect technique is second nature for her, and her ability to control what she does with the ball in the air is unmatched. With Ally McGonagle in the front row, the Owls are sure to go far this year.

With not only these three highlighted players but also a full roster of 13 other girls with multitudes of skill, the Owls girl’s volleyball team is looking to go far into playoffs this year. If all goes well, the team is hoping to take home a state championship before the 10 seniors on the team become alumni. There will definitely be a challenging road ahead for these Owls. The girls are set to play teams such as Bedford, Pinkerton, and Hollis-Brookline all during the regular season schedule;  all teams that are notorious for having a very strong skill set. However, the girls on this Timberlane team are in it to win it and are definitely going to be a force to be reckoned with during the season. Be sure to try to make it to as many home games as you can to cheer on our Owls!

09/21/21: Home vs. Exeter

09/27/21: Home vs. Keene 

09/30/21: Home vs. Manchester Memorial

10/06/21: Home vs. Goffstown

10/13/21: Home vs. Concord

10/18/21: Home vs. Merrimack

10/22/21: Home vs. Nashua South