“We’re honestly a school that’s known for academics and not athletics at all,” Coach Brandon Wiest said. “And for us to have built something pretty special here, it’s just extremely rewarding, and I’m so proud of all the girls on the team this year and everyone who’s been part of that process.”

Work began in the summer for Georgetown Day (22-5), which became the first back-to-back champion since St. John’s in 2018 and 2019.

Yu, a senior captain for the Grasshoppers, led her team in offseason workouts beginning in June. A Google Form was created for players to place their availability for summer training in the lead-up to the season. Players were communicative with each other regarding practice times, she said, and the players held each other accountable.

“We were staying in shape, being in the gym, getting ready in preparation for everything,” Yu said.

Yu was named the tournament MVP during Georgetown Day’s trophy presentation but spoke about how proud she was of her team’s championship.

“This is just the most surreal feeling after we’ve been working super, super hard with this goal in mind since August preseason started,” she said. “… We set our minds and our goal, and we didn’t stop working until we got it.”

It was a triumphant way to finish the season after the Grasshoppers fell at home to a dominant Flint Hill team in the Independent School League AA title game last week. Georgetown Day swept St. John’s in three sets Thursday to reach the DCSAA title game.

For Jackson-Reed (23-3), it was the school’s fourth appearance and third loss in the state title game (the Tigers beat the Grasshoppers in the 2021 final and are still the only public school to claim the title).

Jackson-Reed Coach Perette Arrington was pleased her team was able to make it this far but said unforced errors led to the Tigers falling behind early in each set and eventually being swept.

“We didn’t show up to play, and it really boils down to who makes fewer errors.”