The girls varsity volleyball team beat the Framingham Flyers 3-0 on Monday, Sept. 11 in the Schluntz Gymnasium for their home opener.
The Flyers scored the first point of the first set when the ball just barely tipped over the net from their serve. The Warriors came back after a Flyers’ set hit the ceiling and missed the net.
After tying the game 1-1, the Warriors quickly scored again after the Flyers missed the ball on a dive, and never looked back as they held the lead for the rest of the game.
The Warriors kept the score differential fairly high, resulting in a less competitive game. The Warriors won the first set 25-12 with senior Charlotte Mullen hitting two aces and senior Annika Epstein scoring multiple points on successful hits.
Sophomore Emilie Ferdinand also had a number of powerful hits that led to points for Brookline. It seemed like everytime Ferdinand hit the ball, it landed in a perfect spot on the Flyers’ side of the court.
Girls head coach Caitlin Sobolewski said the way Ferdinand played stood out.
“A highlight was definitely Emilie Ferdinand and her hitting. Also, her all around court presence really stood out to me. She was having fun but taking it seriously and it was great to see her shine,” Sobolewski said.
The second set started with a quick Warriors’ lead after Mullen hit two aces. At one point, after Mullen served, Ferdinand hit a forceful hit into an open gap and the crowd grew loud with excitement.
As the second set continued, the Warriors lead only grew. The second set ended with an ace by the Warriors as they won 25-8.
The third set was no different as the Warriors took an early lead. Ferdinand scored a number of points at the beginning with hit after hit and two aces. Junior Bella Wong also had an impressive streak, hitting three aces in a row, making the score 23-7 Warriors.
Sobolewski said she is feeling good about the team and was excited that a lot of the younger players got minutes.
“This was kind of a great game to try out new stuff that we can’t do against other teams. We were able to get our younger players on the court to experience varsity playing time. This opportunity is great for individual and program growth,” Sobolweski said.
With the score at 24-7 and Framingham down to their last chance to make an unlikely comeback, the Warriors served the ball and the Flyers passed it into the net. The Warriors won the third set 25-7, winning three sets to zero.
Sobolweski said that although she hopes the team can win a lot of games this season, her biggest hope is that the team becomes a strong, tight-knit community.
“We’re working hard to become closer through team bonding on and off the court,” Sobolweski said. “I want the girls to look back on this experience and remember feeling like a family and feeling really supported. It’s a big time commitment. It’s important to have those people around you.”
