Can pirates imitate lions? That’s the goal of this year’s seventh and eighth-grade Benjamin volleyball team. After falling short in the title match the past two seasons, the Bucs hope to take home the trophy this year like the Penn State Nittany Lions, the NCAA’s reigning women’s volleyball champions.

Yet while Penn State has won back-to-back titles the past two years, Benjamin’s girls have lost in the finals the past two years, both times to St. Mark’s. This year, they’re hoping the third time’s the charm as the team attempts to reach the championship once again.

In order to do so, the new eighth graders are going to need to step up, but they seem to be more than willing.

“We’re going to have to lead the team…and be good role models to the seventh graders,” said eighth grader Chloe Jezerinac. “To do that, we really need to improve on our serving, but we do work well together and this team is very friendly.”

The team has gotten off to a bit of a rough start this year as its record is 2-3, but the coaches – Ms. Jaclyn Filia and Ms. Kelly Murray – feel the team will right the ship as long as the girls put the work in and pull their weight.

“We definitely need to call for the ball better, and we really are going to rely on the seventh graders to step up and help,” said Filia. “I think we’re going to have a good year, but we’re really going to have to work hard, and practice, practice, practice!”

The seventh graders know the coaches and the team are relying on them to contribute, and that all begins with proper focus.

“We’re really going to need to step up in practice,” commented seventh grader Madeline Caruso. “We need to focus and no more goofing around. That’s how me and the seventh-grade girls are going to step up and contribute to the team.”

The season is a marathon, not a sprint, and the girls seem hungry to get back to the finals. However, they will have to prepare, practice, and execute if the third time really is going to be the charm.