CHS volleyball falls to Hopkinton in sectional semis

Another outstanding Canton volleyball season came to an end last week as the third-seeded Bulldogs fell to No. 2 Hopkinton 3-0 in the semifinal round of the Division 2 central tournament.

Junior Kaitlin Phillips (Mike Barucci photo)

It was a tough way to go out, especially after the team played so well just two days earlier against No. 6 Groton-Dunstable, but head coach Pat Cawley gave all the credit to the Hopkinton players, who she said were “big and strong” and “blocked better than any team we had seen all year.”

“They were the better team tonight,” Cawley admitted afterward.

The closest Canton came was in the opening set, when the two teams battled to a 17-17 tie before the Hillers surged ahead with a 9-2 run. The Bulldogs then struggled mightily in set two, losing 25-11. They fared a little better in the third set with a reshuffled lineup, but Hopkinton still prevailed with a 25-18 win to take the match.

Even in defeat, the Bulldogs flashed their talent, especially on the offensive side behind seniors Shannon Brady and Olivia Murphy. Avery Devoe and Jackie Bornemann also played well in the loss, as did Mellyn Costello and Kaitlin Phillips on defense.

It was a different story against Groton-Dunstable as the Canton girls dominated from the start of the match, winning in straight sets by a combined score of 75-30.

All 15 players contributed to the victory, led by Olivia and Julia Murphy as well as Alison McHugh and Phillips, who combined for 12 service points and three aces in the opening set. Alex Walsh, Lindsey Arthur and Lizzy Doherty added kills in set three, while Abbey Willis served well to finish off the visitors with a 25-7 win.

Overall, the Canton girls put yet together another impressive season, finishing with a 17-4 record, including a 2-1 mark in the postseason. They also finished a perfect 8-0 in the Davenport Division and captured another league title — their eighth in the past nine seasons.

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Posted by Jay Turner on Nov 16 2011. Filed under High School, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.