Epic CHS volleyball season ends on brink of state title
By Jay Turner
CHS volleyball coach Pat Cawley congratulates her players and CHS Principal Jeff Sperling awards runner-up medals following Saturday’s state championship match. (Mekhala Costello photo)
One of the greatest single seasons in Bulldog history ended with a mix of tears and smiles on Saturday as Canton High’s girls volleyball team finally met its match in the Division 2 state title game, falling 3-0 to the vaunted Westborough Rangers for their one and only loss of the 2023 season.
Although competitive in spurts — and showing real fire down the stretch as they tried to stave off elimination in set three — the Bulldogs knew the tall task they were facing against the defending state champs.
“Westboro was the strongest team we faced all season,” acknowledged veteran coach Pat Cawley after the match. “Their offense was big and strong. Their serving was aggressive and they had great defense and setting. They had been to the state finals the past three years and they were the champs last year.”
Indeed, despite their superior record — a perfect 24-0 following their thrilling semifinal win over Algonquin Regional — the Canton girls had arrived at Worcester State University as the clear-cut underdogs, and Westborough, led by reigning Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year Quinn Anderson, proved to be as dominant and formidable as advertised.
Perhaps due to their reputation and track record, Cawley said there were “a lot of nerves out on the court” on Canton’s side, especially in the opening set as the Rangers made their first big run.
“Our game wasn’t as crisp as it has been this season,” noted Cawley. “Give a lot of credit to the Westborough team for throwing us off our game and add in the nervousness of being in the big show, and we were not able to play Canton volleyball. We tried to dig in and we had moments when we looked like ourselves, but it wasn’t meant to be.”
While a lesser team may have taken their foot off the gas after back-to-back convincing losses in the first two sets, the Canton girls instead fought harder, saving their strongest performance for a set-three barnburner and showing the hundreds of Bulldog fans who made the trek to Worcester that they would not be going down quietly.
Not only did they keep it close throughout, but when the inevitable Westborough onslaught arrived and took them to match point at 24-20, the Bulldogs dug even deeper, reeling off three straight points before a final Ranger kill put an end to the rally.
It was a heartbreaking finish to be sure, and Cawley said the coaches and players made a point to acknowledge those feelings after coming so painstakingly close to their ultimate goal. “It’s difficult to be within a win of being the state champs; to not accomplish the goal at hand; to not play our best,” she said. “But what’s most difficult is that the season was over — no more practice, team dinners, fun bus rides, match days. As happens every year, this team will never be the same. Many of the tears are for that reason. No one wants it to end. We want to win it all, but more importantly …
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Posted by Jay Turner
on Nov 24 2023. Filed under High School, Sports.
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