The boys varsity volleyball team demolished the Acton-Boxborough Revolution 3-0 in the quarter finals of the MIAA Division I State Tournament on Saturday, June 8, in the Schluntz Gymnasium. The win clinched their spot in the semi-finals of the tournament.
Ranked first above the Revolution’s ninth seed, the Warriors had high hopes going into the game. According to head coach Lexi De La Cruz, however, this did not stop them from bringing the energy in the first set.
“I never underestimate a team, so I was just expecting the best matches possible,” De La Cruz said. “I know that our kids were coming in as a higher seed in the tournament, but that is just another number. So we were just focusing like any other match in the season.”
With crucial blocks by juniors and captains Alec Smagula and Amir Tomer, the Warriors set the tone for their strong defense. The Warriors dominated the Revolution in the first set, winning 25-13. Assistant coach Justin Soohoo pointed to the Warriors’ defense as one of the team’s strengths.
“I think our defense stepped it up a notch,” Soohoo said. “I think we were playing hungry. We played scrappy, and that was something that we hadn’t necessarily done a ton of before, because our team is just so strong, but now, when the level is better, they have to step up their defense.”
The second set was tight, with each team fighting hungrily for their points. The Warriors, down 21-17, rallied and clinched the set 25-23 after two major saves in the back row by senior Connor Christopher and two kills by senior and captain Kristaps Vaivars. Christopher said the Warriors were able to make this comeback by motivating one another.
“We didn’t give up. We were down in the second set by four points, but we rallied together. We said, ‘No lead is too big for us,’” Christopher said. “We came and we took them in the second set. I think that was really important in keeping us fit and ready for the next game.”
Tomer, De La Cruz and Soohoo all pointed to Christopher as someone who stepped up beyond expectations for the game.
“Connor was just a monster on the court today. He was playing defense at a level I hadn’t seen from him before. And then he was obviously the great offensive presence on the net that he’s always been,” Soohoo said.
At the start of the third set, Tomer and sophomore Luka Gallucci’s killer defense set up kills from Vaivars, Smagula and Christopher. Tomer said the energy in Schluntz was key to his performance.
“I felt like I was really feeding off the energy of my bench, the crowd and everyone supporting me. I felt them holding me up, so I was feeding off that energy and playing my best,” Tomer said.
Tomer’s final kill ended the match 25-16, at which the Warriors were awarded the MIAA’s Final Four Trophy. Ahead of the semi-final match against the Newton North Tigers on Tuesday, June 10, at Concord-Carlisle High School, Tomer said he is going into the game with confidence that the Warriors can pull through and win.
“We played Newton North before, we beat them before, but at the same time, we know that they’re a super strong team. We know that they also want to beat us, and they’re having that same mentality,” Tomer said. “We want to keep the respect for them, but then hold ourselves to a higher level.”
Christopher, in his final season of Warrior volleyball, has the passion and the confidence that the team can pull through and become state champions.
“We’ve got to execute,” Christopher said. “This is the year to win. I’ve been waiting for this my whole career, all the way from JV-two freshman year into this now. Winning this tournament means everything to me.”
