- April 25, 2024
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Abby Rich prepares to serve during the team's victory over Atlantic. Photo by Tim Briggs
Asia Hubbert huddles with Abby Rich and head coach Lauren Valle before continuing play. Photo by Tim Briggs
Abby Rich (left) and Morgan Mundell prepare for a return during the team's season opener against Atlantic. The pair have been best friends since they started playing together. Photo by Tim Briggs
Abby Rich collects herself and prepares to set during Mainland's season opener against Atlantic. Photo by Tim Briggs
During Mainland’s season-opening victory over Atlantic, setter Abby Rich looked like she belonged on a volleyball court.
Positioned on the right side of the court, the senior floated a pass with a deft touch off of her fingertips to her best friend and teammate Morgan Mundell, who waited along the left side in anticipation to strike.
Rich smiled wide and cheered in unison with her teammates as Mundell finished the job, notching a kill. The pair have formed a great bond since they started on the team together as freshmen.
“I made varsity my freshman year and I was so excited,” Rich said. “But the only time I ever got up was to shake the players hands on the other team.”
It’s safe to say Rich has elevated since then, as she is now in pursuit of the school’s all-time assist record. She led the team with 67 in the team’s five-set victory (25-16, 25-15, 23-25, 12-25, 15-11) over Atlantic in the team’s season opener.
Meanwhile, Mundell was the leading hitter for Mainland as she deposited 21 kills. The pair are like clockwork. When Mainland is going right, their 2017 game plan will be pretty simple: get it to Rich, and then she can get it to Mundell.
“Like every team we have our strengths and weaknesses,” head coach Lauren Valle said. “We’ll be good at blocking and swinging this year. By the end of the season, we hope to be where we need to be to make a run at Districts.”
Rich started playing volleyball when she was six, but stopped in third grade because she broke her arm. Since then, she committed heavily to the sport, investing in playing for club teams and leading Mainland as its talisman this year.
She wants to play at the next level, and her parents are Ohio State fans, so Columbus would be a dream. But for Rich, she just wants to play volleyball.
Wherever it may be.
“I want to try and get close to the assist record here because volleyball is the biggest passion of mine,” Rich said. “I would love to go to whatever school wants to take me.”
Mainland will go to the road for the next three games, but will return home with a rivalry game against Seabreeze on Sept. 12.
