Lions gathered in Gowan Court on September 18th, 2021, to watch girls varsity volleyball’s first game of the season. Morale was high in the court and cheers erupted in the stadium as Kent took on Choate Rosemary Hall. 

While Kent lost 0-3, the game was a tight one: the two schools were neck-and-neck the entire time, often tying at every other point. Morgan Lee ‘22 elicited cheers from the bleachers as she successfully blocked Choate’s spikes, followed by a unique team celebratory pose, and Annabel Pauli ‘24 scored multiple times with her strong attacks, leaping into the air every time. While not all players got to play in the game, the team on the bench cheered their teammates on, with “Go, Kent!” constantly ringing in the audience’s ears. 

Despite the loss, Coach L’Hote, who is new to Kent, has high hopes for the team. Even though the team has only practiced together for a week, they’ve already won two scrimmages against Canterbury and Westover, and L’Hote expressed a sense of pride in the team. “We started off very strong, so I love the energy I see as a coach,” she said. “I love to see everyone with their heads up and keep pushing and striving to win every game, and I think this group of girls is very capable of doing that.”

Ava Ehrhardt ‘22 and Crosby Brown ‘22, captains of the team, talked about the momentum of the team. “The team has had some slow starts these past three years, and I’m excited to see how this team is going to be,” Ehrhardt said. Brown says she feels “very lucky to have been elected co-captain for this amazing group of hardworking athletes and, most importantly, friends”. She mentioned how the team is looking forward to having a new coach leading them and “channeling our inner lion spirit,” and both captains cannot wait to see the amazing achievements the team will accomplish on and off the court.