WORCESTER – Players talked about successful the Weston ladies volleyball program’s first state title when Eileen Leblanc took over as head coach three years in the past.
Friday night time at Worcester State, they lastly made it a actuality.
Sophomore setter Riley Huml dished 33 assists, balancing the assault to assist the third-seeded Wildcats (20-5) take the yr’s rubber-match towards No. 1 Medfield, 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 26-24), within the Div. 3 state ultimate.
Overcoming gradual begins within the first couple units was a part of the job, however Fielding Mayhugh (15 kills), Nevaeh Yancey (12 kills, two aces) and Eleanor Wilkins (eight kills) proved dependable choices to construct massive runs in every set. The Warriors (23-2) put up a scare on the finish to almost prolong the match to no less than yet another set, however Weston’s composure carried out its three-year mission.
Seeing that objective fulfilled, whereas this system has since expanded from one group to 3, introduced Leblanc to tears.
“It’s all them,” Leblanc stated. “I am privileged to be their guide through the journey. Since last year, they’ve really stepped it up. They really thought this was the year. … They just really wanted to do their school and their town proud because they know they’ve never won before. It’s just something they all felt was in their reach, but they didn’t daydream of it.”
“It’s just so amazing,” Mayhugh added. “To win in three sets in the state finals is such an amazing feeling. … The team was really loud, really good energy. I think everyone played really amazing this game, we put it all together.”
Just prefer it has all yr, the Wildcats struggled to return out of the gate sizzling in any set. Kayla Hanna and Ava Pender (25 mixed assists) helped lead Medfield to quick begins, by no means trailing via the primary 20 factors in each body. Defense restricted the Wildcats, nevertheless it couldn’t maintain them off as soon as they hit a groove.
A back-and-forth first set noticed Weston end off an 8-3 run to show an 18-17 deficit right into a 25-20 win, that includes a pair of kills every from Yancey and Mayhugh. Once a Kathryn Buckley kill gave Medfield a 10-9 lead within the second set, the Wildcats ripped off an 11-2 run to anchor a lead as massive as 22-14 in a 25-17 end, and a 7-1 run in the midst of the third body was essential in a 26-24 win.
The Warriors confirmed loads of gall to rally from down 22-18 to take a 24-22 lead, however two kills from Yancey helped energy the Wildcats’ of entirety.
“I told (coach Jerry Shu) from Medfield in our first game in September, ‘It’s you and us,’” Leblanc stated. “To be able to come here and really put into action our plan and to win this in three just really makes a statement for the effort and time that they put into it.”
A sped-up offense performed a essential function, and Huml stood out in getting a number of figures concerned.
“We talked about it before the game, spreading it out so they don’t exactly know where we’re going,” Mayhugh stated. “(Huml) did a great job of that and we were able to put away balls.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com