Delmarva Christian girls’ volleyball energized for season

Elaina Millaway left some big shoes to fill after last year’s Gatorade Player of the Year in girls’ volleyball graduated, but Delmarva Christian volleyball has a history worth building on.

“We've been working very hard in preseason and working hard in practices,” senior Riley Barto said. “We’ve really kept up the intensity, and we've been trying to work on communication.”

Talking and chemistry will be vital to the Royals’ success in 2025.

“Defense is definitely going to be our stronger skill this year,” senior Kamryn Zarebicki said.  “I think our offense is a little younger, and our team is younger too, but our defense is a little more skilled.” 

Delmarva Christian has had a few different faces leading the squad these last few years, but the senior class thinks they are better for the diversity. Coach Kelly Duffy will lead the Royals this fall and has earned rave reviews from her players.

“Our coaches from the past years helped us learn different things with the sport of volleyball and have definitely improved our game,” Barto said. “This year Duffy is very hard on us, but I think it's good for us; it's something that we need, especially with the younger girls coming up.”

Duffy is tapping into part of Millaway’s legacy with her approach.

“Elaina was able to mentor a lot of us, and teach us; all the time she would be giving us tips, like we could go ask her for anything," Zarebicki said. “Seeing her level of competition in every single game — she would always put her game face on — it was really great to have someone to look up to and that would always give 100% all the time.”

“She really pushed me to be a better player coming in and never playing volleyball before until my freshman year,” senior Lily Jewell said. “I had someone to look up to that was setting an example for me.”

Duffy has prioritized mentorship on the team.

“We have a big and little sister program that we're gonna do – which is really exciting – so we can kind of be like mentors to those freshmen,” Zarebicki said.  “I really like stepping into that role of mentor.”

Zarebicki thinks it is incumbent upon the seniors and upperclassmen to welcome the young players and continue to build a community. 

Delmarva Christian opened the season after the Cape Gazette deadline with their annual game against Cape, this time away.

“Cape is definitely going to be a rival game, but I think if we bring our A-game and keep doing what we know how to do, it'll go decent,” Barto said.