Barely two weeks after teams assembled for the preseason, two local teams have already gotten together for their first volleyball match of the season.

Both Pine Bush and Wallkill opened their seasons on Thursday night, with Wallkill pulling out a 3-1 victory on Thursday night after dropping the first set.

The Panthers, who were the Section 9 Class A and Mid Hudson Athletic League runners-up in 2022, won the non-league match at Pine Bush High School, 20-25, 25-12, 25-17, 25-23.

“I love starting out the season with a tough team,” Wallkill coach Julie Michella said. “I know that Pine Bush is a perennially great program, so it’s always good to start with really good competition to see where your team is at as far as how our preseason has gone.”

The Panthers, who lost outside hitter Rylee Thomas and libero Sera Goering to graduation after last season, return a senior-laden group. The Panthers return senior setter Grace Mesuch, senior outside hitters Katelyn Jordy, senior middle hitter Madisen Noelizaire and Bridget DeSantis, and senior right side hitter Regan Moeykens and senior libero Hannah Stewart.

It’s behind that experience that the Panthers hope to return to the top of the Mid Hudson Athletic League and get beyond the runner-up spot in the Section 9 Class A tournament.

“This is a very senior-leaden team,” Michella said. “I’m mainly playing six seniors and two juniors, so we’re experienced, which is nice. There is a lot of leadership.”

Joining the team this year is junior outside hitter Genevieve Pollock and defensive specialist Daniella Aluisio.

“I feel confident going into the season,” Michella said. “We have a lot of work to do. There are a ton of good teams in this section that we have left to play, but I’m happy with this start.”

Pine Bush reached the New York State Public High School Athletic Association semifinals last season but entered the season having lost four key players in Jersey Jones, Alandra Hasbrouck, Zoe Rodi and Kaeli Murtagh.

However, fifth-year coach Melyssa Klempner-Amelio is looking forward to a great season with what she called “a close bunch of girls who are excited and ready to play together.”

Returning are Sienna Hunter, Courtney Meyer, Caitlin Druke, Monica Ilioiu, Kendall Morris and Ellie Hoppe. They’ll be joined by newcomers Anabella Almeida, Maddie Magsamen and Alysa Magsamen.

It’s also a bit of a homecoming for Pine Bush this year, as they will return to the back of the school to play in the smaller, more intimate gym, as opposed to the more cavernous main gym in the front of the school.

They prefer the smaller confines. “I am excited for the season,” Klempner-Amelio said. “We will return to our gym where we hope to have a successful season, filled with growth, hard work and integrity.”

The last time the Valley Central Vikings competed, they saw the 2021 Pine Bush team end their season in the Section 9 Class AA semifinals.

This year’s Vikings are a bit on the young side with four sophomores, but they have some seasoned veterans in outside hitter Autumn Singleton, libero Bella Frangione and Hiromi Gutierrez. They lost Riley Schoonmaker, Bianca Staples, Hailey Nop and Julia Wilson to graduation.

Maggie Bishopp and Abigail Rieber are two of the Vikings’ new sophomores, as the Vikings look to build off a strong defense in 2022.

“After losing 2 years in a row in the semifinals, we are looking and hungry to make it to the finals,” sixth year Valley Central coach Paige Matuszewski said. “We have a very young team, but they are excited for the challenge.”