LHS Volleyball Enters Season with Revamped Roster

The Lexington High School girls' volleyball team will sport a new look this year. No, it's not the uniforms. Those will still be blue and gold. And, no, it's not the team's nickname. That will always be the Minutemen.

It's the actual make-up of Coach Jane Bergin's team that's almost completely different this year. Graduation and players moving out of the district has given the Minutemen's roster a near complete overhaul.

"It's a challenge this year, we're definitely rebuilding," Bergin said. "We lost a few key people, so the kids are getting adjusted to that. It's a challenge, but it's going to provide some other kids with plenty of opportunities. These are great kids that are working really hard. We'll see what's going to happen."

Just two starters from last year's squad reported to practice when the season began last Thursday. Lexington had five practice sessions through the weekend and scrimmaged Lynnfield High School at the LHS gymnasium on Monday.

Bergin said there's much to be worked on before the Sept. 8 season opener at home against Bedford.

"(Losing players) was tough, but we'll come through, we'll pull through," the coach said. "We just need to find our identity right now – what type of team we're going to be."

There will be plenty of opportunity to figure that out before the Middlesex League schedule starts.

Including the one against Lynnfield, Bergin said the Minutemen will have five scrimmages before playing a match that really counts. Lexington hosts Wilmington High School on Thursday and will travel to the Andover Play Date, a tournament-style jamboree, on Monday.

Last year, Lexington finished the regular season with a 10-8 record. The Minutemen earned the No. 11 seed in the Division 1 North sectional tournament, but was bounced in the first round by Billerica Memorial High.

Bergin said the biggest thing this year's team needs to learn how to do is play with confidence.

"You have to find your own identity," she said. "We're still living in the shadow of last year. That always happens, so you have to really step to the challenge the first week."

On Monday, the Minutemen took their first step in doing that.

Lexington's scrimmage against Lynnfield lasted five sets. The latter is coming off a season in which it went 9-9, but made a Cinderella run to finish as Division 3 North finalists (the Academy of Notre Dame won the sectional title match 3-2).

Lexington started the first set strong, but slipped as Lynnfield opened a big league. The Minutemen rallied late, but still dropped the set 20-25.

But Bergin is sure any struggles the Minutemen have won't be caused by a lack of effort.

"The enthusiasm has been great," she said. "The kids are genuinely working toward their potential and that says a lot, especially in the beginning stages of the season."