The Rye Volleyball season is in full swing, with the Garnets off to a strong 3-1 start through four contests. They are coming off a very solid 14-7 season, and some key players are back for another tour of duty.
“We have most of the starting lineup returning this season, and the new players round out the team well,” Head Coach Geri Jones told MyRye.com. “Our junior class brings a lot of talent and motivation. We have set our goals for the season and are excited to get going with games.”
Emma Lunstead and Margo Ehrenberg form a very talented, experienced defensive specialist duo which should frustrate opponent offenses. Before the ball gets to them, it might be blocked by returning middle blockers Phoebe Greto and Olivia Lewis.
Offensively, the Garnets will be led by outside hitters Valeria Medina, Sally Moerschen, and Katelyn Haines. Amelie Modesto comes in as a junior setter to run the attack and distribute the ball to her deep group of attacking options.
Greto, Lunstead, and Medina are Jones’ three captains for the 2025 season. “It is in her nature to motivate her teammates,” the head coach said of Greto. “She is a such a hard worker, and her commitment to her teammates admirable.”
“[Lunstead] loves the sport of volleyball and spends every waking moment figuring out and working to be the best libero she can be,” Jones continued. “She leads the defensive, calls the plays, and the team looks up to her.
“Val [Medina] is super focused on developing her own skills and bringing the team along with her on her journey. She and Emma train together. They set the standard for what it takes to be a successful volleyball player.”
The Garnets have a busy schedule through the end of October, and the stakes rise as the days get shorter. A rematch from a tough loss to Byram Hills last year awaits on October 8. The Garnets have eight matches between now and then to get to peak performance for the home stretch, and just two more until league play begins on September 18 against Pelham.
“We are scrappy and talented which makes for a fun game,” Jones concluded. “I can say I truly love watching them on the court.”
