Lady Pats volleyball team ready for another successful season

By Dom Nicastro

It doesn’t get much better than last year’s regular season for the Revere High School girls volleyball program. The Patriots went 20-0 and drew the No. 19 seed in the Division 2 statewide MIAA tourney. The team lost to Amherst-Pelham in the first round.

This year’s Patriots are looking to ride the momentum of that perfect regular season from last fall. And they’ll be doing so under a new head coach – yet a familiar face. Emilie Hostetter, who has been the boys JV volleyball coach the last two seasons, as well as the girls assistant varsity coach last season, takes over as head coach for the girls for the 2023 Revere season.

“I love this program and the sense of community it has developed,” Hostetter said. “Students have found a place of belonging, as well as being pushed in their ability to play volleyball.”

Tryouts went well, according to Hostetter. They had 40 to 50 girls come through for tryouts, and there are 31 girls who made the varsity, junior varsity and junior varsity B teams.

“This year, we have no seniors and a lot of young talent,” Hostetter said. “They are eager to play and excited to learn and grow together.”

What are areas for improvement the Patriots this season? Having young talent has pros and cons, according to the coach. “They will develop into great players, but it also means they do not have a lot of game-time experience,” Hostetter said. The team’s big goal is to improve in skills and confidence and play well as a team.

Junior Lea Doucette is Revere’s captain this fall. She is a returning varsity player with great charisma and leadership skills, her coach said.

Liv Yuong is another returning varsity player who is an outside hitter. “She developed so much as an athlete last season,” Hostetter said, “and I expect to see her be one of our key players this fall.”

Revere includes assistant coach Raela Berry, JV coach Kerry Flaherty and JV B coach Samantha Myrtil. “Raela and Sam both graduated from Revere High,” Hostetter said, “so it is exciting to have former students come back to coach.”

Revere got things going in August with a jamboree for the Greater Boston League hosted by Malden. Based on Revere’s observations, all the teams looked good, particularly Lynn Classical and Everett. The Greater Boston League includes Chelsea, Everett, Lynn English, Lynn Classical, Malden, Medford and Somerville along with Revere.

Besides the team’s league games, it will be playing Swampscott twice, Lowell Catholic, Greater Lowell, Essex Tech and Chelmsford. Revere opens up the season with five home matches: Everett on Wednesday, Sept. 6; Chelmsford on Thursday, Sept. 7 (5:30 p.m.); Lynn Classical on Monday, Sept. 11 (5:15 p.m.); Lynn English on Wednesday, Sept. 13 (5:15 p.m.); and Lowell Catholic on Friday, Sept. 15 (5:15 p.m.).

Roster:

1.  Lea Doucette – Junior – Captain
2.  Hadassa Dias – Junior
3.  Farah Habbour – Junior
4.  Danna Canas – Junior
5.  Samantha Hoyos Tobon – Junior
6.  Liv Yuong – Junior
7.  Bianca Alvarez – Sophomore
8.  Isabella Arroyave – Sophomore

9.  Sophia Restrepo – Sophomore

10. Susan Lemus Chavez – Sophomore
11. Basma Sahibi – Sophomore
12. Valery Echavarria – Sophomore

Coaches:

Head Coach: Emilie Hostetter

Assistant Coach: Raela Berry

JV Coach: Kerry Flaherty

JV B Coach: Samantha Myrtil