On Friday, Oct. 27 the girls varsity volleyball team faced the Boston Latin School Wolfpack for their senior night, winning in four sets. This marked their last regular season game and a win against a team they had previously lost to.
The first set started strong. The Warriors gained a 6-1 lead over the Wolfpack, the result of strong serves from setter and senior, captain Charlotte Mullen, forcing the Wolfpack to call their first timeout.
The timeout did not slow the Warriors. Outside-hitter and freshman Noga Naveh went on a six-point serving streak, leaving the Wolfpack in the dust, bringing the score to 13-2. Throughout the set, they kept pushing hard, the energy buzzing in the gym until the Warriors won the first set 25-16. Mullen said this early set victory inspired the team to continue their pressure.
“This first set win was really exciting because we lost in three sets last time we played them, so we realized this was a winnable game,” Mullen said.
The Wolfpack started the second set stronger. The gameplay was even, making for an intense back-and-forth rally, with no team pulling ahead by more than a couple of points at a time. The Wolfpack eventually took the lead after going on a serving streak, which was finally broken by a kill from opposite-hitter and junior, Laurel Zahka.
Coming back from a Warrior timeout, sophomore and defensive specialist Maya Nock scored a point, tying the set 15-15. The Warriors then took the lead and won the second set 25-19.
As the third set began, the Warriors trailed the Wolfpack by six points, and a timeout was called by varsity head coach Caitlin Sobolewski. However, the Warriors still fell short and lost the set 14-25.
In the fourth and final set, Mullen set the tone with a five-point serving streak. After a series of timeouts from the Wolfpack, the score was 19-6 Warriors, and Mullen again went on a seven-point serving streak. Naveh followed up with an ace to win the set 25-7, winning the game 3-1.
According to Sobolewski, their win in this game was the result of a few different factors.
“Senior night motivated the girls and they started off strong,” Sobolewski said. “I could tell that they wanted this game more than the other team did. Their energy and intensity throughout the match was high and they were always there for each other.”
The team went on to take pictures with family and friends, celebrating their senior night victory before heading to the playoffs. Emotions between players, parents and coaches were running high in the gym after the game.
“I will miss the seniors. Their roles are so crucial to the team. It’s going to be hard without them. They push the team to be better,” Naveh said.
Mullen said that a goal for the captains this year was to bring the program together, within the varsity and junior varsity teams.
“Senior night shows the community we’ve built,” Mullen said. “We’re all friends off the court and senior night shows how the entire program supports one another.”
