A couple of top players graduated and another transferred to a private school from last season’s state-champion Langley Saxons girls volleyball team.
Still, the high-school squad returns and has enough talented players to remain a postseason contender this fall, as has been the case since the program began in 1999.
“We are working on leadership and things like that right now, but we should be in the mix again and should have another good season,” said Susan Shifflett, who has been the only head coach in Langley volleyball history and has 502 career wins with the Saxons.
One of Langley’s top retuners is senior hitter Ana Toumazatos, a first-team all-state player last season. Others back are setters Claire Mo and Hailey Park; middle blockers Chloe Lin, Ava Barnett and Hanna Herbolsheimer; passing and digging libero specialist Amber Smith; and outside hitter Vivian Nitowski.
Freshman outside hitter Rujuta Singh is expected to be a strong addition.
The player who transferred was starting hitter Leni Stanton-Parker.
Shifflett expects the defending 6D North Region champion Madison Warhawks to be strong again this season, along with the Chantilly Chargers.
Madison defeated Langley in last season’s region-championship match. Langley (27-3 last season and also the Liberty District tournament champion) bounced back from that region-final loss to win the Virginia High School League’s Class 6 state-tournament crown with a 3-0 record.
The state title was the Saxons’ third, the others coming in 2013 and 2017. Langley has finished second in the state twice, in 2007 and 2015.
Langley’s early-season schedule includes an annual trip to the Richmond area to play in multiple matches in a tournament format.
“That’s a real good marker for us, because there are so many good teams to play there,” Shifflett said.
The coach expects the McLean Highlanders and Marshall Statesmen to be top opponents in district play this fall. Langley defeated Marshall in last season’s district-tourney final.
