Buoyed by talent, Riverview volleyball off to a nice start

No abundance of results was necessary for Jason Mocherman to realize what he has at his disposal. Less than one month of the season has transpired.

He doesn’t yet know how far his team might go. He just knows what he sees every day he enters the gym.

“This is by far the most talented team I’ve coached,” said the third-year coach. “We’re deeper than we’ve ever been. The camaraderie on the team is better than I’ve ever seen.”

Riverview girls’ volleyball is off and running this fall — to winning results, at that. The Rams claimed four of their first five matches, and in that time, outscored the opposition by a combined 12-6 in sets.

After suffering a sweep at the hands of Palm Harbor in the 2024 Class 7A regional quarterfinals, Riverview defeated that very program, 3-1, to kick off 2025. The team then expanded its resume by toppling Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch and Braden River without allowing more than one set to each.

Only Venice and Bradenton Christian have solved the squad as of Monday. The former is a defending regional finalist in 7A, whereas the latter plays several levels below in Class 2A.

The Rams’ winning start is nearly a mirror image of last year's campaign, which also began with a 4-1 record, but to the tune of a plus-8 set differential and against a different set of foes. They would eventually secure the honor of 7A-District 12 champions.

Photo by Jack Nelson

But that’s the past. This is the present, and for Mocherman’s staff, learning how to reap rewards from an even more plentiful pool of talent is an ongoing process.

“We’re a little deeper across the net. We’ve got weapons across all six positions,” Mocherman said. “We just haven’t quite figured out how to utilize the weapon in every single situation. Right now, it’s about setting a baseline, and we’ve worked really hard to set a quality baseline.”

Last season’s team leaders in kills, aces, blocks, digs and assists are all gone. The graduation of stalwarts Gabrielle Meese, Courtney Parrish and Mia Gagliardi played a big part in that.

To replace lost production, Riverview returned 50% of its 2024 roster. Six of those seven returners are seniors – each now composing their high school volleyball swan songs.

Jadyn Brester is one of those crucial cogs.

The right setter/outside hitter/middle blocker racked up 127 kills on 352 attempts as a junior, placing second among her teammates in kill percentage per MaxPreps. She also ranked fourth in total sets by appearing in 65 of the 71 played by the Rams.

Photo by Jack Nelson

With new setters to work with, Brester is still adjusting to the on-court components around her, but also understands the responsibilities that come with the role she stepped into.

“I’m very vocal, but I’m not the most cheerleader-y person, and I know as a senior, I’m trying to be better at that,” Brester said. “I’ll try and make an action like a dig or a kill to get the team fired up – that’s a way I try to lead.”

Also back in the fold are junior outside hitter/defensive setter Lyla Bailey, senior defensive setter Lola Hinrichs, senior right setter/middle blocker Brooke Rogers and senior outside hitter/defensive setter Aubrey Mocherman. Each of them sat high on the stats sheet in some respect when all was said and done last fall.

Bringing back such a group has reduced the hurdle of bond-building to no hurdle at all. The focus instead can be squarely on converting camaraderie into chemistry.

Hinrichs sees it as the Rams’ distinguishing strength.

“We’re definitely very close in relationships on and off the court, which helps with the molding of the team,” Hinrichs said. “If we don’t like each other off the court, it’s going to be really hard to like each other on the court.”

A tough regular season is only just getting started. Mocherman made a point of not scheduling any easy opponents in the interest of preparing for the postseason rather than building up their record.

Photo by Jack Nelson

That much was evident when Venice and Bradenton Christian dealt Riverview sweeping defeats on Aug. 26 and Sept. 4, respectively.

And even with the benefit of established connections, there’s work to be done. The coaching staff still hasn’t found a concrete starting lineup among its 15 players despite trying various combinations.

“Volleyball is such a mental game. We’re physically strong, but I feel like we’re not as mentally focused as we need to be on the court,” Mocherman said. “It’s a tenacity that, this team as a whole, just hasn’t found the ability to do together.”

But he knows there’s a little something extra to this team.

Something different. Something special.

Made possible by a potent blend of talent and camaraderie, these Rams have a certain potential he hasn’t seen before in his tenure.

The road ahead can unlock it.