Girls’ volleyball dominates Bridgeport Central on senior night
Morgan Carnahan ’23 serves the ball giving the Wreckers another point
The Staples girls’ varsity volleyball team defeated Bridgeport Central High School on senior day. The Wreckers won all three sets, 25-2, 25-6 and 25-14 on Oct. 19.
Captain Raquel Cross ’23, Grace Cauley ’23 and Morgan Carnahan ’23 were some of the star players that led the Staples team to victory on senior night.
Kate Valante ’23 goes up for a kill in the second set (Photo by Anna Kercher ’25)
Cauley helped the girls’ volleyball team greatly, serving the ball and winning points from 13-1 up to 19-1. Cross also contributed with three kills in the first two sets. Carnahan finished off the first set with a serving streak that led Staples from 22 to 25 points.
Cauley owes the team’s success to their strategizing and precision on the court.
“Our free ball passes were right to the center so we had many options,” Cauley said. “We could get to the right side, middle and outside to get a kill.”
Staples Superfans love to support the volleyball team, especially on an evening as important as senior night. Spectators like Charlotte Walsh ’25 were impressed with all the talent that the girls had to offer.
“My favorite part was watching all the kills that the team got and how excited they were while playing,” she said.
“The night was great,” Cross said. “Playing with my team, having all my friends show up, taking pictures with our parents just made me feel so special and the whole thing was so fun for us.”
— Raquel Cross '23
The pre-game senior recognition ceremony not only announced the senior players of Staples, but also gave roses to the senior Bridgeport Hilltoppers on the opposing team. The gym was decked out with posters of the senior girls.
“The night was great,” Cross said. “Playing with my team, having all my friends show up, taking pictures with our parents just made me feel so special and the whole thing was so fun for us.”
The team currently has a record of 7-7, and they have put up a tough fight and showed persistence through their games. Their coach, Jonathan Shepro, was very proud of the way that the athletes played.
“Everything is unique about this group of seniors,” Shepro said. “They’re so much fun, they love to be out here, they love to compete, they’re kind and friendly and charitable. It’s just a great group of girls.”
