Senior captains lead way for otherwise young Quaker Valley volleyball roster

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, September 21, 2025 | 11:01 AM

They have achieved prominent, high-level status in the Quaker Valley girls volleyball program.

Mia Gartley, Bella Jarrett and Megan Harris rarely if ever leave the court during QV volleyball games.

Gartley and Jarrett are 5-foot-9 outside hitters while Harris is a 5-5 junior libero. They are serving as captains this season.

Gartley is a two-year starter and one of the most athletic girls at QV.

“Mia is one of the girls that has the most experience for us,” QV coach Mike Vavrek said. “She was a 3-rotation middle front player for us in the past and has taken on a much bigger role this year being a 6-rotation outside hitter and primary passer. So she is still learning that position again, one that she has not played since ninth grade. She is improving every day.

“Mia is a competitor and someone you know what you are going to get out of her.”

Jarrett also has changed roles for the Quakers this season.

“Bella is another one of our more experienced players,” Vavrek said. “She was a serve-receiver and a right-side hitter last year. She has also taken on a bigger role this year as a 6-rotation outside hitter and serve-receiver as well. Bella is a smart volleyball player and is doing a good job for us.”

Harris is starting at the varsity level for the first time but plays like an experienced competitor. She handles her job as libero smoothly.

“Megan is also a big-time competitor and someone that gives you everything she has when she’s on the court,” Vavrek said. “She is doing a great job defensively for us. She has been moving back and forth, playing both middle back defense and left back defense. Both are a little different in what area you have to cover, what ball is yours and what your other responsibilities are.”

QV is the defending WPIAL Class 2A champion, having won the title last year for the first time in school history.

The Quakers’ game-day rotation consists of Gartley (OH), Jarrett (OH), Harris (L), junior Aria Casillas (S/RS), sophomore Micaiah Jones (S/RS), freshmen Sydney Kline (S) and Emma Duckstein (MH/OH), seniors Ella Palmer (DS) and Gabby Frank (MH/RS) and junior Rachel Bartels (MH/RS).

“I think things are moving along” Vavrek said. “We are a rather inexperienced team. Besides the two freshmen in the lineup, we have a sophomore as well. Even the juniors and seniors, while they have been around the program for years, some are seeing their first varsity action.

“So we have certainly been going through some growing pains early in the season here. We are trying to find ways to win games. Some big areas we need to work on is taking care of the ball on our side of the court, getting more consistent on our first contact, getting better at situational volleyball, especially in certain instances, and lastly, just staying together as a team and continuing to work hard.”

The Quakers blanked New Brighton, 3-0, on Sept. 9 in a match that didn’t seem as close as the final scores (25-15, 25-21, 25-20) indicated.

“That was really the first time we played a more complete and consistent match,” Vavrek said. “We took care of the ball a little better than in past games, but we still had moments of giving away points. For example, in Games 2 and 3, they scored 21 and 20 points as opposed to Game 1 where we held them to 15.

“I don’t think New Brighton played better in those games; we just made more mistakes. But we did it a little less than other games this year. We’re just glad to get a win and glad it was 3-0. I’m hoping we keep working and improving as the year goes on.”

Tags: Quaker Valley