KP Volleyball Looking to Break Through

Over the past four years, the King Philip girls volleyball team has compiled a 67-13 record during the regular season and was awarded two number two seeds to go along with a three and a four in the Division 1 Central East Tournament. While the Warriors have been rather successful during regular season play, they have not been able to get past the semi-final round of the tournament. Over the last four seasons, KP has lost all four times in the Semi’s: twice to Quincy and once to both North Quincy and Newton North.
Although still early in the season, the Warriors are primed and ready to break the semi-final stranglehold the tournament has had them in the last four years.
“Entering each season we are looking to be competitive, especially within the Hock as it is not only a good league but a very tough one as well,” KP coach Kristen Geuss said. “Each year we set our goals high and this year is no different.”
As the defending Kelley-Rex Division Champions of the Hockomock League, the Warriors were hoping to open up this season where they left off. Unfortunately, game one was a 3-0 loss to a non-conference opponent and KP was quickly 0-1. The opening season loss didn’t derail the KP express as the Warriors have since rattled off 10 consecutive wins and are currently 10-1 overall and 9-0 in the Hockomock League as of this writing. Through those 10 wins, the squad has been tested only against North Attleboro. The rest of the wins have come rather convincingly.
“Losing that opening game, I guess was a wake-up call,” the coach said. “It was probably the best thing, in a weird way, to happen to us so far this season.”
Geuss relies heavily on her seniors on and off the court. This year KP has five seniors on the roster. Sydney Phillips, Michaela Palumbo and Julianne Rando are the Warriors tri-captains for the 2017 season, elected by their peers. Phillips and Palumbo are the team’s go-to outside hitters and have both contributed to the success of the team’s record thus far. Phillips is also among the tops in the Hockomock League in kills, and as an all-around player very rarely leaves the court.
Palumbo and Phillips play opposite one another, so when one is in the back row the other is at the net. Both girls were middle hitters for Geuss last season and have made the transition to outside quite easily. Rando is the team’s libero and anchors the back row.
The final two seniors on this year’s squad are Elise Pereira, who is also used as a libero, and Rachael Veilleux, the team’s setter or quarterback – all plays run through her and she is the one that sets up the hitters.
In the middle the Warriors possess two strong hitters in junior Kat Kmetz and sophomore Grace Ely.
“Middle hitter is not an easy position to play,” Geuss said. “In the past we’ve used them solely for blocking, but these two are very good offensively as well giving us yet another weapon.”
Right side hitters Caroline Robertson and Shayla Weitzman are both juniors and the team relies on them as another offensive weapon. The two can also block as well.
Rounding out this year’s team are junior defensive specialist Olivia Atkins, who should see a great deal of time on the court; and junior defenders Alyssa Florio and Jessie Kornfeld.
“Volleyball is a team sport and we need everyone to step up to be successful,” the coach said. “We’re trying to build a strong volleyball program here at King Philip. Most, if not all the girls participate in club teams which is huge to our success on this level.”
Having put up an 84% winning percentage over the past four regular seasons, and earning four top four rankings in the last four state tournaments while making it to the Semi-Finals each of those years, it’s safe to say King Philip has put together a successful volleyball program. Now all they need is a State Championship to seal the deal.