As of October 1st, the Mt. Greylock volleyball team, coached by John Albano, is an impressive 7-2 and sits at number two in the Berkshire county standings, just two games behind undefeated Lee. Greylock has garnered key wins so far this season against Lenox, Wahconah, Taconic and East Longmeadow, who was previously ranked in the top 10 in Western Massachusetts.

In 2013, Greylock finished 10-9 and qualified for the Western Massachusetts tournament. After a dramatic win against Mahar in the first round, the Mounties were ousted in the quarterfinals by tournament runner-up Athol.

The team’s captains, seniors Celia Bote and Sam MacWhinnie, have provided veteran leadership for this young squad eager to improve on its Western Massachusetts tournament results from past years. As the team’s libero, Bote seldom takes a break from action. She is a specialist in digs, recording 127 so far this season according to masslive.com. The Mounties have also benefited from a strong front line in 2014. Senior Josie Verter, junior Hope Willis, and sophomore Jenna Benzinger dominate the net with their height and blocking abilities. Together these three have combined for 42 blocks and 112 kills, with Willis (23 blocks, 77 kills)  accounting for more than half of those statistics.

Perhaps the most intriguing storyline of the season is the emergence of sophomore outside hitter Serena Chow. This season, Chow has proven to be a formidable and reliable starter for the Mounties. Her combination of deadly serves and ability to record kills has benefitted the team greatly. According to masslive.com, Chow is second on the team in digs with 37, second on the team in kills with 39, and first on the team in aces with 51.

The Mounties will look to continue their already successful season. When asked about important team factors, Bote noted, “We have a strong offense this year with some powerful hitters that’ll help us progress.” Certainly, a Western Massachusetts title would appeal to all of the Mounties volleyball players, but for seniors like Bote who have been in the Greylock program for years now, a title would mean more. “It would be huge [to win a championship] especially since the last two years we’ve struggled to come together as a team in time for postseason.” This year, however, the Mounties have coalesced from the first game. Team chemistry is certainly something that they do not lack. Supporters of Mounties volleyball should look forward to watching coach Albano’s team prosper in the postseason.