The Yutan volleyball team entered this year’s season with expectations not only from within the team but from the fans as well.

Some of the players’ goals are simple.

Senior Christina Kerkman said her expectations for the team are to be nice to each other.

“We need to come to practice with an attitude to always get better and not mess around,” Kerkman said.

Some goals are higher.

Head coach Jodi Bierman said her short-term goals for the team are to win the next five matches and have some redemption on DC West.  She said she also wants to play in a district final and make it to Lincoln.

Bierman expects to have more challenges at the end of the season.

“I mean with our conference tournament, just our path to a conference championship, and playing Palmyra last, I feel like that’ll be more challenging than the first third of our season,” Bierman said.

Bierman said that the team is playing at a higher level of volleyball consistently and is looking to maintain that consistency.

According to Bierman, part of the reason for the volleyball team playing at a higher level is the fans.

“I think that we have one of the better crowds, just knowledge and the ability to pump people up,” Bierman said.

Senior Brennan Jacobs said that the student section helps the team.

“I think all the players on the team believe that it brings a lot of energy, not only to the court but also to the bench,” Jacobs said.

Sophomore Maura Tichota agreed that having a student section affects the game.

“Not even having student sections during COVID and this year, getting a student section, and working your butt off and having it be a close match, it definitely does help,” Tichota said.

The team’s goals are not just for this season but look forward to next season.

“Some goals I have for the team are just for everybody to get better and up their skill level and prepare the JV for varsity for when we lose our seniors because that is a good chunk of our team,” said senior Kaitlyn Bisaillon.

Bierman is excited to have five seniors but said it is also “heartbreaking.”

“I think every coach is prepared to replace people with people that they trust and people with experience,” Bierman said.  “But to lose all five personalities from our gym is just overwhelming to think about.”