Pintos Volleyball: Seniors Leave a Legacy, Underclassmen Flash Potential

MORIARTY — The Moriarty High School volleyball team concluded its 2025 campaign with a season defined by senior leadership and the emergence of a promising young core. The Pintos finished 7-16 overall (2-6 in District 4A), fighting through a highly competitive schedule filled with top-ranked teams that tested their depth and drive.

As the program heads into the offseason, the statistics tell a story of a changing of the guard. The departure of key seniors will leave significant shoes to fill, but the foundation for the future has already been laid by a group of underclassmen who were thrown into the fire—and delivered.

2025 Statistical Leaders

The senior class dominated the stat sheet this season, accounting for the majority of the team’s production in every major category.

Kills (Offensive Points) The offense was spearheaded by senior middle blocker Michaela Dunn, who was the team’s clear go-to option at the net.

1. Michaela Dunn (Senior): 158 Kills
2. Lilly Shoemate-Means (Junior): 77 Kills
3. Lily Shelby (Senior): 58 Kills

Digs (Defensive Saves) Defensively, the Pintos relied on their seniors to keep plays alive, but a freshman made a surprise appearance on the leaderboard.

1. Kristina Means (Senior): 249 Digs
2. Lily Shelby (Senior): 157 Digs
3. Emma Quintana (Freshman): 110 Digs

Passing (Serve Receptions) Reliable passing is the backbone of any offense, and these three athletes shouldered the heaviest load in receiving opponent serves.

1. Kristina Means (Senior): 393 Receptions
2. Payten Butler (Junior): 152 Receptions
3. Marisa Ipiotis (Senior): 152 Receptions

Top Attackers (Hitting Efficiency & Volume) While “Kills” measure points, these athletes were the primary focal points of the Pintos’ attack strategy throughout the season.

1. Michaela Dunn (Senior): Led the team with a .101 hitting percentage and 38 total blocks, proving to be the most efficient and dangerous player on the floor.
2. Lilly Shoemate-Means (Junior): As the second option, she took a high volume of swings and will be expected to step into the No. 1 role next year.
3. Kendall Carpenter (Sophomore): Though younger, Carpenter showed flashes of efficiency with a .046 hitting percentage, ranking second on the team in that metric.

The Future: A Youth Movement Begins

The graduation of Michaela Dunn, Kristina Means, and Lily Shelby means Moriarty loses its top killer, top digger, and top passer in a single swoop. However, the statistics reveal a clear path forward.

• The New Anchor: Freshman Emma Quintana is a player to watch. To crack the “Top 3” in digs (110) and assists (69) as a freshman speaks of talent. She also led the team in Serving Aces (40), proving she is a triple-threat talent who can serve, defend, and set.
• Next Woman Up: Junior Lilly Shoemate-Means will likely transition from the secondary scorer to the primary offensive threat. With 77 kills this season, she has the varsity experience needed to lead the attack in 2026.
• Defensive Continuity: While the loss of Kristina Means is huge, Junior Payten Butler (152 receptions) returns to stabilize the back row.

The 2026 season looks to simply be a transition year, with talents like Quintana and Shoemate-Means returning, the Pintos have the pieces to reload rather than rebuild.

EDITOR’s NOTE: We will have more on Lady Pinto volleyball when the All-District teams are announced and coach Michael Baguskis will giving us his takeaway from the 2025 season.