Reaching New Heights: the Groton Girls’ Volleyball Team’s Success

This fall, the girls varsity volleyball team had an incredible season, going 11–1 and advancing to the playoffs as the number one seed. With a phenomenal roster of dedicated girls, the team went farther than ever—all the way to the NEPSAC finals.

The team’s regular season included wins over every team in the Independent School League (ISL) but Buckingham Browne & Nichols School, who topped the Zebras 0–3.

This success continued deep into the postseason. In the quarterfinals, the Zebras first faced Worcester Academy here at Groton, smashing kill after kill, winning 3–1 and clinching a spot in the semifinals.

Three days later, they faced Kingswood-Oxford, maintaining both their home court advantage and the optimism from the previous game. The results were the same as in the quarterfinals: the girls won 3–1 by winning two sets, dropping one, then recovering to claim the fourth.

Surrounded by an even larger, more energetic fan section, the team made Groton volleyball history by becoming the first volleyball team to qualify for the NEPSAC finals. Alicia Leng ’28 described this game as one of her favorite moments from the season, saying that “making finals was just a dream-come-true moment.”

Unlike the past two rounds, the Zebras played their final game two hours away in Hartford, Connecticut, against Greenwich Country Day School on Kingswood-Oxford’s home court. Although Groton began with high spirits, the long journey drained the team and they ended their playoff run with a 0–3 loss.

Even though the dreams of winning the ISLs this season ultimately fell short, the girls volleyball team’s season nonetheless will go down as one of their greatest, with a phenomenal 13–2 record and five individual awards: All-ISL to Cheyenne Zheng ’26, All-NEPSAC to Sophia Leng ’26 and Alicia Leng ’28, and NEPSAC honorable mentions to Tatum Friedholm ’27 and Rowan Trevino ’27.

Although the team’s power and hustle were major contributors to its success, chemistry is its greatest strength. Even when off the court, the sideline is buzzing with energy: “The cheers were extremely creative and certainly motivated me to perform my best,” said Cheyenne Zheng ’26.

“The friends you make and the community you become a part of are truly the gems of the season,” said Alicia.

Ultimately, this season set a high standard of play that will continue to shape future seasons. Cheyenne credited the team’s success to its “collaborative spirit” and “close-knit, candid bonds.”

Alicia had a final note for the enormous fan section supporting the team in the playoffs.

“In previous years, we had significantly fewer fans, so the game atmosphere was lacking at times,” she said, “but this year, the sudden influx of support and spirit really hyped us up. Thank you, fans, because we truly wouldn’t have been able to accomplish so much without all of you.”