Hendrick Hudson’s Girls Volleyball team defeated Wayne High School’s Volleyball Team at the Glenn Falls State Championship game on November 20th, in Glens Falls, New York in sweeping rounds of 25-9, 25-18, 25-17, taking the Class B State Title. 

During the regional final, they had a four-set battle with upstate New York team Maine-Endwell, then lost in their first set of the whole season against the team Westhill in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s Final Four pool play. This was just a small blemish in an otherwise flawless season. As the Section 1’s lone representative secured their spot in the recent championship, they moved on to the Class B final four pool play with a 5-1 record. 

“We played really well, and we got our stuff together at the end,” Hen Hud senior Camille Gibson said. “We all just really settled down and relaxed into it and did not let the atmosphere control us, but invoke us.”

Not only did the meaning of a team be put to the test this season, but also how many records could be broken. In an outstanding and historic 25-0 season, the Lady Sailors only dropped two sets in their run to the State Title, starting the season off with an impressive streak of 64 straight set victories, a first for Section 1 history. It was also the fourth state title in the program’s history, with Hen Hud winning three straight State Chips from 2006-08.  

As well as this, Hen Hud coach Diane Swertfager thought she experienced it all over her 34 years of coaching the Sailors – from racking up 16 section titles and three state championships, plus all the wins in between. Until this year’s sweep over Nyack, this marked the 649th win of her career, lifting her to the top spot as the winningest coach in Section 1 history, surpassing her good friend and former longtime Croton-Harmon coach Robin Cooke for the all-time record.

“Words can’t describe what we’ve been through this season,” said Hen Hud coach Diane Swertfager, who also credits community, parental and administrative support to make a state championship happen. “Having composure, a lot of trust, honesty, accepting mistakes and fixing them. We have two freshmen who are setting and five seniors that led 100% of the time. It’s invigorating to watch these girls have fun, appreciate one another in a world where there’s so much ‘me, me, me’ and you see so much selflessness that it’s so humbling.”

While all athletes dream of finishing on top and achieving their best, the raw emotion of accomplishing that goal hit the undefeated Hen Hud volleyball team harder than any previous experience had. The girls seemed to easily make their way to the State Championship and dominate. While their athletic ability and skill certainly aided them in making it so far, all would not be possible if they didn’t have their composure and persistence. The connections between the girls, and even the coaches, is a testament to the importance of team bonding and connection.