Fieldston’s esteemed volleyball team, undefeated through 20 games, took home its first NYSAIS championship since 2015, defeating Avenues 3-1 in the final on November 6.
Before the game, the stands quickly filled with both Fieldston and Avenues supporters, ready to cheer on their respective teams. The atmosphere was electric, with screams of “boom!” and “here we go!” radiating through the gym for every serve and spike. “It was so hype,” remarked Daniel Bean (Form V), who attended the game. Indeed, the energy brought by the student section certainly played a vital role in the Eagles’ victory.
The pressure was high for the heavily favored Eagles, but they did not shy away from the moment. “I didn’t feel nervous because I was surrounded by so many talented players,” said defensive specialist Eve Kaplan (Form V). “This game felt like a long time coming after two years of being so close to a state championship. We went into the game with a lot of respect for the other team while still knowing our worth and our team’s skill level.”
The game was thrilling from start to finish, marked by long rallies and clutch plays on both sides. The Eagles came out to a rough start, falling behind 13-9 to a very enthusiastic and zealous Avenues team. However, they quickly fought back, taking the lead, 18-17, after a ferocious spike by Maya Thompson (Form VI). The first set came down to the wire, but it was ultimately Avenues that prevailed by a score of 25-23.
The Eagles came out firing in the second set, taking a quick 8-3 lead. Despite a brief comeback effort by Avenues, Fieldston ran away with the set and won by a score of 25-18 after an impressive return of serve by Kaplan.
The Eagles’ momentum carried into the third set, as they jumped out to a quick 10-4 lead and never looked back. One of the match’s defining moments came towards the end of the set, when the Eagles won an incredible back-and-forth rally with a powerful spike by Olivia Henry (Form III), extending their lead to 22-16 and sending the crowd into a frenzy. They won the set in dramatic fashion, 25-22.
Despite trailing 0-4 early in the fourth set, the Eagles swiftly found their rhythm and tied the score at 4-4. The set remained close throughout, with frequent lead changes and numerous intense rallies; however, the Eagles went on a run to gain a comfortable lead of 23-17. By this point, both the players and fans knew that the trophy was in their grasp.
The Eagles secured their triumph with a dynamic one-two punch by captains Paige Butler and Sofia Camilo (Form VI), after which the entire Fieldston student section rushed the court to celebrate with the team. Following the game, Butler exclaimed, “We worked so hard for this. I will love VVB forever!”
In a postgame interview, Coach Collin Henry highlighted some of the most essential advice he offered to the team during their title run: “Don’t dwell on the play in the past; learn from it, good or bad, and get ready for the next point.” His words perfectly capture the team’s incredible resilience and remarkable hunger for winning. With their impressive victory, the Eagles left no doubt that they are the best team in the city.
