Around the Nest: 09/10/2026

Varsity Volleyball 

9/9 vs. Beth Tfiloh
Herons Open Season 2-0 with Sweep of Beth Tfiloh

The Gunston Herons traveled to Beth Tfiloh and came away with a convincing three-set victory, 25-11, 25-12, 25-9, to improve to 2-0 on the young season. Every Heron contributed to the victory, and the depth of the Herons was in full display. Junior captain Serena Hill (10 assists) ran a highly effective offense from the setter position, doing an excellent job distributing the ball and keeping Gunston's offense in rhythm. Senior setters Madi Hopwood (5 assists) and Lizzy Chiochetti (3 assists) also contributed and helped keep the Herons' offense moving throughout the match.

Senior captains Scotia Hopper (4 digs), the Herons' libero, and Liv Labrador (6 digs), an outside hitter, led the defensive effort with stellar play. Labrador also contributed offensively with 2 kills kills. KK Griffin turned in another strong performance in the middle (3 kills), contributing on both sides of the net, while Parker Wilson (2 kills), Mariana Wichlinski (2 kills), and Jessalyn Tavenner (1 kill) also played well offensively and defensively. Junior captain Alie Merkle had an impressive offensive night, contributing a team-high 8 kills.

Junior Addison Coldwell anchored the other outside position with another strong performance (6 kills), while fellow junior Kelsie Chisolm made an impact from both the outside and right-side positions with several strong attacks. Freshman Emma Ingram and sophomore Kyleigh Jennings both stepped in and played valuable minutes at outside hitter. Sophomore Lily Fithyan also made the most of her opportunity, stepping in at libero and playing excellent defense while contributing a team-high 4 aces from the serving stripe.

Junior Ella Baer and senior Chloe Bennett anchored the back row from their defensive specialist positions, helping Gunston maintain its defensive pressure throughout the match. Overall, it was an excellent team effort from the Herons, with contributions coming from throughout the roster.

9/10 vs. Friends

The Gunston Herons traveled to Friends School tonight and came away with a convincing straight-set victory, 25-15, 25-8, 25-17. Gunston’s offense was impressive throughout the match, led by Alie Merkle, Addison Coldwell, Liv Labrador, and Kelsie Chisolm. Emma Ingram and Kyleigh Jennings also came into the match as it progressed and continued the Herons’ offensive show.

The Herons’ middle combination of Jessalyn Tavennar, KK Griffin, Mariana Wichlinski, and Parker Wilson made strong contributions as well, combining for multiple kills and keeping the Friends defense under pressure. Setters Serena Hill, Madi Hopwood, and Lizzy Chiochetti did an excellent job distributing the ball and creating opportunities for Gunston’s hitters.

Defensively, senior libero Scotia Hopper led the way with multiple digs and on-point passing that helped the Herons transition quickly into offense. Lily Fithyan, Ella Baer, and Chloe Bennett also helped anchor a solid defensive back line. The Herons improve to 3-0 and will return to action Monday when they travel to IAAM B-Conference foe Catholic High School.