Bethlehem Catholic’s volleyball team is picking up where they left off from last season.

The Hawks are 2-0 on the year with wins over Liberty and Easton and head coach Jessica Attieh is happy with the way her group has handled the early part of the season, particularly its confidence and composure.

“I’ve been really pleased with how we’ve started,” Attieh said. “We have a lot of experience returning, and I think that has helped us play with more confidence and composure early in the season.”

While the Golden Hawks swept past Easton, Liberty provided a tougher test. The Hurricanes took a set from Bethlehem Catholic, but the Golden Hawks responded and found a way to close out the match.

“The biggest takeaway for me was our ability to battle through adversity,” Attieh said. “Liberty challenged us and made us work for every point. I thought our girls did a good job of staying together, communicating, and finding ways to make plays when we needed them.”

Attieh wasn’t surprised that Liberty was able to take a set, knowing the Hurricanes had the talent to make the match competitive.

“Any time you lose a set, it gives you an opportunity to see how your team is going to respond,” she said. “I was really happy with how our girls bounced back and didn’t let one set affect the rest of the match. That response was probably more important to me than winning every set.”

The Golden Hawks went 23-2 last season, and Attieh believes this year’s team has benefited from the experience gained during that successful campaign.

“I think the biggest difference is our experience and confidence,” she said. “We have a lot of girls who have been in big moments and understand what it takes to compete at a high level.”

With a mix of veteran players and younger contributors bringing energy to the lineup, Bethlehem Catholic believes it has plenty of potential as the season continues.

“We’re still working through some things and trying to find our consistency, but I really like the way this group competes and responds when things don’t go our way,” Attieh said. “There’s a lot of potential with this team, and we’re excited about where we can go.”

The Hawks have Alle, Pocono Mountain West and Nazareth on tap this week, as they seek a 5-0 start.

Freedom (3-0) has swept all three of their opponents this season, easily dispatching Nazareth, Easton and Northwestern to start. Things get tougher this week with a trip to Parkland on Tuesday, followed by Pocono Mountain East and Northampton.

Liberty (1-1) has split their first matches and look to string some momentum this week against Whitehall, Pleasant Valley and Easton.