Volleyball team still perfect after 3 more W’s
By Jay Turner
The Bulldogs celebrate their 2nd set win against Oliver Ames last week. (Mike Barucci photo)
The wins keep piling up for the CHS volleyball team as the Bulldogs pulled off a rare trifecta last week, beating Oliver Ames, Quincy, and Sharon in a span of five days to remain perfect at 7-0 overall.
Canton did see its nine-set winning streak come to an end with a set-three loss at OA on Monday; however, the team has looked outstanding overall and currently leads the Davenport Division by a comfortable margin over Foxboro and Stoughton.
The Bulldogs’ toughest test thus far may have been their home match last Wednesday against nonleague Quincy, a top-notch program that currently sits in second place in the ten-team Patriot League.
Canton dominated the first two sets 25-5 and 25-17 behind senior captain Julia Murphy’s torrid hitting, but the Presidents fought back to even the match at 2-2 before the Bulldogs reestablished their rhythm in the fifth and deciding set, winning 15-7.
Murphy was a force throughout the match, and according to head coach Pat Cawley, her performance in set one was “perhaps the most outstanding set of her career” as she racked up six kills, six aces and a block. Overall, she finished with a season-high 27 kills to go along with 10 aces and four blocks.
Other top performers included junior middle hitter Avery Devoe, who tallied seven kills, two aces and two blocks; senior setter Kaitlin Phillips, who finished with 34 assists; and senior libero Mellyn Costello, who contributed excellent serving and finished with 15 digs.
All three players also came up big in Monday’s 3-1 win over Oliver Ames, which came to Canton “ready to do battle,” according to Cawley.
While their record suggested otherwise, the new-look Tigers proved to be a worthy opponent, stealing set three against Canton’s reserve unit and nearly doing the same to the Bulldogs’ starters in set two.
OA was actually one point away from clinching the set when the hosts fought back to take five of the next six points. Eventually, Canton’s superior talent won out as the girls clinched the match with an easy set four win.
Several players contributed to the victory, including sophomore outside hitter Kim Frazier (4 kills, 4 aces), Devoe (6 kills, 2 aces), and senior captain Lindsey Arthur (2 kills, 5 digs). Other notable performers included Jackie Bornemann, Abbey Willis, and Lizzy Doherty.
On Friday, Canton wrapped up its stellar week with a straight-set win over Sharon (25-14, 25-21, 25-19). The match doubled as a team fundraiser — the Bulldogs’ annual “Volley for Molly” in support of ovarian cancer awareness.
The Eagles managed to keep it close with their scrappy defense and strong serving, but the Canton offense simply overpowered the visitors, and the non-starters closed things out with a well-played final set.
Murphy led the offense with 15 kills and three aces, while Alex Walsh had her strongest outing to date, contributing three kills and multiple blocks. Other top performers included Bornemann (6 kills, 6 aces), Frazier (2 kills), and Erin Proctor.
The Bulldogs had another busy slate this week with a home match against Foxboro on Monday, followed by consecutive away matches at Stoughton on Wednesday and Taunton on Friday beginning at 5 p.m.
Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=16515
Posted by Jay Turner
on Oct 3 2012. Filed under High School, Sports.
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