Kenston Forest School’s varsity girls volleyball team endured a rough start to the 2018 season, but it had won five of its last six matches entering Tuesday’s road contest against Brunswick Academy.

Lady Kavaliers Head Coach Jannon Coley said that if she had been asked in the first match of the season what her expectations were for her team this year, “I would have told you it’s going to be a long year.”

But after the last five matches, “I would say I see us being in the VCC championship.”

Kenston Forest (7-10, 4-1 VCC) was tied with Brunswick for first place in the Virginia Colonial Conference (VCC) leading up to Tuesday’s match.

It was an impressive position for the Lady Kavs to be in considering they lost nine players from last year’s team due to graduation, including conference Player of the Year Peyton Clary and other key standouts like Katie Suggs and Indigo Dougherty.

The 2018 Lady Kavs roster is comprised of seven seniors, two freshmen and one eighth-grader. Coley noted that the senior class works hard but lacks significant height.

Helping bring height and emerging as a leader on the team is freshman middle hitter Shelby Gunn.

“Shelby Gunn has really been a strong point for us,” Coley said, adding that Gunn is leading the team in attacks and kills.

Freshman Taylor Maione has proven herself to be a key contributor at libero.

“She’s really good, and she’s probably the best passer that we’ve had in quite some time,” Coley said.

The coach also said a recent switch to a 5-1 rotation has been to the team’s advantage.

The Lady Kavs visit Richmond Christian School on Thursday at 6 p.m.