One month into the season, the Hudsonville High School volleyball team is 24-1-1 and ranked second in the state in division one.
"Everybody has a drive," senior libero Carlina Bender said. "Everybody is kind of pushing and focusing on each other."
After a disappointing district loss last season, the Eagles made team chemistry a priority.
"A lot of us have grown up on the varsity team and we know what it is like to be seniority, seniority, seniority," senior middle blocker Leah Rogers said. "Us seniors decided to cut that out and decided that team bonding is important and together and being a family is the important thing."
The team has adopted the motto "Together As One."
That was tested last Saturday when junior Scarlett Griffioen went down with a season ending leg injury in the match against Zeeland West.
"We looked at each other and we said this is what we are here for and we are going to play for her," Bender said. "Maybe this isn't what we wanted but it happened maybe for a reason and we are going to use it and we are just going to push forward."
"I am blown away and speechless by how my girls responded," Eagles second year head coach Stephanie Chenlo said. "Credit to Zeeland West too those girls were awesome, they stood in a circle with us and prayed and no one really knew they fate at that time and it really showed how strong this group is. They are a tight group and at the end of the day we call each other family and I think those girls showed exactly why on Saturday."
Hudsonville is 1-0 in the OK Red and will travel to West Ottawa on Thursday.
The team is happy with the start but knows they can not settle for where they are because everyone is gunning for them.
"We talk about every practice trying to get one percent better," senior outside hitter Eva Joldersma said. "That is what we focus on during practices and during games we just try to bring it out."
"They love the competition," Chenlo said about her team. "We always say we get team's best and I think that is an honor and a privilege because everyone gets so excited to play Hudsonville volleyball and play a team like us and we love it and we live for those competitive nights."
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