Tag: Ellie Shelton

Brojek Passes Milestone as Attleboro Sweeps Westford

Attleboro Volleyball
Attleboro junior setter Natalie Brojek dishes out one of her 28 assists to lead the Bombardiers to their first playoff win in over a decade. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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ATTLEBORO, Mass. – It has been a remarkable season for the Attleboro volleyball program. The Bombardiers opened their new gym by winning 16 games in the regular season, one of the best records in program history, and won a share of its first Kelley-Rex division title. On Thursday night, Attleboro added a couple more milestones to this fall to remember.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The seventh-seeded Bombardiers had little trouble sweeping No. 26 seed Westford Academy 3-0 (25-13, 25-20, 25-17) to record their first playoff win in over a decade. During the victory, junior captain Natalie Brojek celebrated a personal accomplishment when she dished out her 1,000th career assist.

“She’s only a junior but I don’t know what I’m going to do without her,” said Attleboro coach Mary Katherine Runey. “It’s so much more than the assists. She is everything and so much more because she knows when to focus and she knows how to be a leader. Without her leadership this year, I don’t know that we could have been as successful.”

After the match, Brojek said, “It’s such a big accomplishment to me, especially since I got it as a junior, but it really means just running my offense. Numbers and stats can be important but what means most to me is playing with Attleboro, playing with my team. I love setting. I love this team.”

While Attleboro knew that it was a significant favorite coming into the playoff opener, and that it had faced some of the state’s best to win the league title, there is a different energy level in the tournament, especially for a team that had so few players who experienced it before.

Getting off to a good start to the match was critical and Attleboro did just that, jumping out to an 8-1 lead. Ellie Shelton and Addison Shelton (seven kills) helped the Bombardiers take the early lead in the set with strong service games. An ace from Ellie Shelton made it 13-3. Brojek showed off her all-around game, diving forward to dig a Westford hit and set up Julia Leonardo for a kill that increased the lead to 15-5.

“We love to drop a first set,” Runey joked when asked about the importance of starting quickly to not give the underdogs any momentum. “I kept emphasizing how important it was to come out strong. We can’t alter the way that we play dependent on who’s on the other end. I’m really happy that we were able to stay consistent and then also celebrate [Natalie] tonight.”

Leonardo smacked one off the block and Addison Shelton followed with a kill of her own. After back-to-back Westford points, Brojek took matters into her own hands with a kill. Ellie Shelton (six aces) added a kill and an ace and Leonardo fired in another spike to put Attleboro on the brink of a lead in the match. Brojek finished off the first set with a push shot that dropped into the middle of the Westford defense.

After a dominant opening set, Attleboro had a let-off at the start of the second. The Grey Ghosts were able to pull ahead early. Leonardo got into the swing with back-to-back points to even things at five apiece and then snuck an ace inside the back line for a 7-6 lead. Attleboro’s lead was as much as six (17-11), but Westford kept coming back.

The Ghosts went on an 8-1 run and regained the lead at 19-18. Middle hitter Alanna Sanders was giving the Bombardiers issues and Katherine Crane was finding space on the outside. Ellie Shelton pulled Attleboro level with a block for a point and then delivered an ace to restore the lead.

Attleboro would win the final five points of the second to put themselves in control of the match. Tigin Bombardier had a crucial block for a point and Leonardo (14 kills) caught fire with three kills over those final five points, including strong swings on the last two points.

“We’ve been trying to focus when we allow a team to get two or three points, I want them to have that volleyball IQ to know what to address, what can we on the court fix, prioritize a side out, and put the ball back on our side,” Runey said.

Brojek went into the final set needing just one more assist to reach 1,000. She made it quick, delivering a pass to Ellie Shelton for the milestone assist.

Leonardo was proving to be too much for the Westford defense. She had three more kills at the start of the set, helping the Bombardiers push out to a 7-2 lead, then three more as Attleboro made it 10-5. Westford got back within three at 13-10 but it would be as close as the Ghosts would get in the third.

Brojek (28 assists) fired in a pair of aces, then Leonardo had consecutive kills and it was 19-13. Two aces from Julia Mondiello and more strong defense from libero Sadie Whitmarsh kept Westford out of reach, as Attleboro cruised into the next round.

“Walking in, I was a little bit nervous,” Brojek explained. “It was definitely a different level of energy, especially knowing we have something to prove. We’ve already proven that we could make the playoffs, so making it farther and beating more and more teams was really important to us. I’m so excited for the next game.”

Runey admitted, “We needed to get this under our belt. We have shown in practice and in our scrimmage this week that we were showing some nerves. Tonight was not our best performance, we have a lot to fix before we face our next round, but I’m proud of the way that we played.”

Attleboro (17-2) will host the winner of Needham and Boston Latin in the Sweet Sixteen on Monday night.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Franklin Earns Redemption With Win Over Attleboro

Franklin volleyball Makayla Kuykendall
Franklin freshman Makayla Kuykendall (20 kills) attacks the ball in the second set against Attleboro. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 FRANKLIN, Mass. — It’s getting crowded at the top of the Kelley-Rex division standings.

Despite falling behind after an epic opening set, Franklin volleyball rallied for three straight wins to secure a 3-1 victory over Attleboro (33-35, 25-16, 25-19, 25-19), moving the Panthers into a three-way tie in first place along with the Bombardiers and King Philip, who also won on Monday.

All three teams split their respective season series and sit at 13-2 in league play with one match left, none of which are against one another.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The battle between the Panthers and Bombardiers — a clash of two top 10 teams in Division 1 in the latest MIAA rankings, and a rematch of a superb five-set thriller from earlier this season — started with a first set that neither side wanted to lose, as seen by the score.

The teams combined for 68 points in the opening set: the Panthers were a point away from taking it five times and the visitors with four chances to clinch it, all coming past the 25-point threshold.

A kill from Attleboro sophomore Julia Leonardo (29 kills, 21 digs) off of a set from junior Natalie Brojek (34 assists, seven digs, four kills) kept the Bombardiers in it down 25-24.

A perfect line shot from Franklin freshman Makayla Kuykendall (20 kills, 15 digs, three aces) off a set from junior setter Sasha Tracey (48 assists, 10 digs, six kills) denied the visitors at 26-25.

A roll shot from Attleboro sophomore Addie Shelton (seven kills, 14 digs) found a hole in the defense to tie it at 29-29.

A tip from Franklin junior Ryan Sullivan (17 kills, 27 digs, three aces) caught the defense to keep the Panthers alive two points later.

Back-and-forth they went, and not until an ace from Leonardo and then a mis-hit from the Panthers did the Bombardiers finally take the lead with a 35-33 win.

“That first set was so incredible, they worked so hard,” said Franklin head coach Samantha Redmond. “Before the second set I just kept talking to them about the passion they showed, the hard work they put in, and if they could carry that fight into the next set and beyond, they would be okay.”

Okay, indeed.

The Panthers answered with three straight wins: pulling away from the Bombardiers with a big 12-4 run in the middle of the second set, creating separation late in a back-and-forth third set, and doing the same in the fourth to secure the win and give themselves a chance to clinch at least a share of the Kelley-Rex division title on Wednesday.

“We talked about what this match means, but in the sense that we lost the first time in their gym in five sets,” Redmond said. “It was a bit of a redemption story that we could play better than we did that match. It was more about that for us than any rankings or standings.

“The energy we had tonight we so much more positive and the teamwork tonight was great.”

With the Panthers trailing 8-7 in the second set, an ace from Kuykendall, a kill from Taylor Lacerda off of the block, and a perfectly placed tip from Rachael Taylor (eight kills, two blocks, two aces) around the double block put the hosts back in front.

Taylor added another kill, Taylor Lacerda landed an ace, and Kuykendall canceled out a kill from Attleboro sophomore Ellie Shelton with one of her down. Two plays later, Taylor had an ace and the Panthers pushed the lead to 19-12.

Leonardo landed another kill to give Attleboro some hope but a perfectly placed dump on the second ball from Tracey froze the defense and Kuykendall put one down to extend it to 22-14. A perfectly placed line kill from Taylor Lacerda capped the win, 25-16, to make it 1-1.

“Game one is always our toughest, we usually come out slow but we really stressed coming out strong tonight because it’s hard to do on the road, and it’s hard to do it against an amazing team like Franklin,” said Attleboro head coach Mary Katherine Runey. “They responded and were moving their feet and playing awesome. Were they gassed in game two? Absolutely. I just thought game two and three, our passing was way off. We were so excited and tired from the first game, we couldn’t bounce back.

“I always stress that no matter the score, you play the game as a team and I thought that’s what we were lacking tonight. We had difficulty on serve receive and our passing, just didn’t move our feet.”

It was more of the same in the second set, back-and-forth and through the first 32 points, the Panthers and Bombardiers were deadlocked at 16-16 following back-to-back kills from Leonardo, the latter coming off a great pass from Sadie Whitmarsh (21 digs) to keep the ball alive.

“She’s a fantastic player, there’s no doubt about it,” Redmond said of Leonardo, who has been one of the best hitters in the league this season. “After the first game we played them, we’ve practiced a lot just really picking up on spots where she likes to hit too and just focusing in on playing defense in those spots. The second ball might not be right to the spot so just be on your toes and go get it.”

Franklin quickly grabbed the momentum by winning four straight points: another perfectly placed tip around the block from right-side Grace Lacerda (eight kills, two blocks), who took the majority of her swings from the middle, a kill from Tracey, and back-to-back from Kuykendall made it 20-16.

A timeout couldn’t stunt Franklin’s run as they took two more, Kuykendall landed another swing, and after a service error, Taylor finished the set off with a kill to make it 2-1.

“The outsides get a ton of credit, and it’s well deserved, but being able to move that ball around and set the middle, set the right side, and really spread it out to everyone on the court, it keeps the defense on their toes,” Redmond said of getting strong performances from both Taylor and Grace Lacerda.

“We’ve gotten double blocked a lot of times this year so we’ve really worked on finding the open spots, if that double is coming from the outside, to find that spot. We watched it well, if they were bringing it that’s where we wanted to go, if they didn’t bring the double, swing away.”

A pair of aces from Addie Shelton, three straight kills from Leonardo, and a hitting error presented Attleboro its biggest lead of the match, 9-3, to start the fourth set. Franklin chipped away and an ace from Jennifer Soohoo made it 10-10.

An 8-2 burst gave Franklin the lead for good.

Both Kuykendall and Taylor Lacerda had kills in the run, the Bombardiers didn’t help their cause with a pair of unforced errors, and back-to-back aces from Georgia Harvey (four aces, 28 digs) had the Panthers on the verge of the win.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Attleboro showed some great resolve with a big block from Addie Shelton, a couple of attacking errors from the Panthers, and another Leonardo kill closed the deficit to just 19-17. A great dig from Harvey kept the point alive for the Panthers and they won the point, Kuykendall had a huge kill off the block, and Soohoo ended it with an ace.

“In a crazy kind of way, I’m kind of happy this happened because going into the playoffs, it’s a good learning experience for all of us,” Runey said. “Would it have been great to win? Yes, but they should be really proud. Not only was this a big game for us, but this was also a massive game for Franklin and that’s a testament to how well we’ve played and how far we’ve come.”

Franklin volleyball (13-2 Hockomock, 13-3 overall) is back home on Wednesday against Milford while Attleboro (13-2, 15-2) is on the road at North Attleboro. King Philip (13-2, 17-2) is home against Taunton. A win from any of the three teams would clinch a share, and a win from all three would be a share for all three teams.

Attleboro Prevails Over King Philip In Five-Set Thriller

Attleboro volleyball
Attleboro players celebrate after clinching the fifth and final set and a win over visiting King Philip. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 ATTLEBORO, Mass. — The Attleboro volleyball team was on the verge of completing an epic five-set thriller over one of the best teams in the state in King Philip, but in a blink of an eye, the Bombardiers’ six-point lead was gone.

Once holding a 12-6 lead in the deciding final set, Attleboro saw the Warriors rally for six straight points to tie the game and steal the momentum back. On top of that, Attleboro sent a free ball back instead of a swing, and KP was set up for a big attack in the middle.

But a huge double block from senior Tigin Bombardier and junior Natalie Brojek gave Attleboro the edge once again, and after trading points, sophomore Julia Leonardo (29 kills, 21 digs) landed a kill on a back row attack to secure a 3-2 (17-25, 25-17, 12-25, 25-21, 15-13) win.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“Tonight was huge,” said Attleboro head coach Mary Katherine Runey. “We knew going into this was going to be a massive match and I think it really showed the resiliency of our girls, especially being so young. We only have a couple of returners from last year so this was a true test for us, can we make the right plays in a big game? We had some moments where we showed our youth but in the end, we showed we’re capable of playing at this level.”

After splitting the first two sets, King Philip took a 2-1 lead after dominating the third set (25-12). The Bombardiers showed a lot of resolve in the fourth set as they saw a 12-10 lead turn into a 16-12 deficit. But just as quickly as their lead disappeared, it came back as the Bombardiers rattled off five straight points, including an ace from Addie Shelton, a nice push down the line by Leonardo, and an ace from Julia Mondello.

KP’s Emily Sawyer (eight kills, three blocks) traded kills with Leonardo, a service error put the Bombardiers on the brink and Leonardo once again used a back row attack to end it, 25-21.

King Philip came out with the win in the first set after a see-saw battle throughout. The Warriors led by three or four points for the majority of the set but really pulled away after getting a huge block from Kate O’Neil, a block from Sawyer, and an ace from Shore.

The second set played out similarly but it was Attleboro who claimed a three or four-point advantage by the midway point. Ellie Shelton, Addie Shelton, and Leonardo all registered kills off of assists from Brojek (39 assists, 14 digs), who did a great job throughout the match giving the Bombardiers a chance at attacking swings. Sadie Whitmarsh (23 digs) provided strong defense in the win.

“Who isn’t good at the net for [King Philip]?” said Runey. “We had to be strategic with where we were putting the ball on offense, we wanted to try to get them into mistakes passing and try and get their setter off the net which will help us defensively. We’re slowly working on our double block, which is something we want to utilize more throughout the playoffs. Both of their middles and Ahunna can put the ball at the one, and that throws any team off when their setter has to play true defense. I was very proud of the way both Natalie and Julia Mondello played in the back row tonight.”

Attleboro couldn’t have asked for a better start to the final set. Sami Shore (10 kills, six aces, four digs) scored the first point for KP after a nice dig from Ava Kelley (19 digs) but then it was six straight for the hosts: three errors from KP, an ace from Addie Shelton (seven kills, seven digs, four aces), a kill from Ellie Shelton (four kills), and another from Leonardo.

King Philip chipped away with a big block from Sawyer, a couple of Attleboro errors, some terrific defense from Ahunna James (11 kills, 25 digs, two blocks), and a clever dump from senior setter Kiara Hagen on the second touch to catch the defense, making it 12-12 before Attleboro finished it off.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“I think we can learn from this, playing a team like this and this is the first time we’ve gone to five sets all season,” said King Philip head coach Kristen Geuss. “We needed this…we needed to play in this atmosphere, we needed the crowd yelling at us, we needed this going forward. Attleboro played great, they are a great team and I give them total credit. Their program has really turned around which is so good to see. That being said, we made a lot of mistakes. We had a lot of unforced errors that we don’t usually do. But again, this environment was different so I think this is good for us.

“This was a hard loss but it was a well-fought match. What it does is open our eyes. We have to step up and stop the unforced errors. We came back in that fifth set, I was happy about that. That shows we can dig in. But a few points here or there against good teams can change things.”

Attleboro volleyball (12-1 Hockomock, 14-1 overall) takes sole possession of first place in the Kelley-Rex division with three matches to go. The Bombardiers are on the road the rest of the way, starting with a trip to Taunton on Wednesday ahead of a huge showdown with Franklin on Monday. King Philip (11-2, 14-2) will look to bounce back on Wednesday at Milford.

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/13/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Football
Taunton, 46 @ Oliver Ames, 14 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game.
1st Quarter: (T) Dmitrius Shearrion 79-yard rush, XP no good; (T) Malachi Johnson 38-yard rush, Sete Deletoille XP good; (OA) Chad Silva 1-yard rush, C. Silva 2-point rush; (T) Bryan Batista 1-yard rush, S. Deletoille XP good.
2nd Quarter: (T) M. Johnson 30-yard rush, S. Deletoille XP good; (T) Jacob Leonard 47-yard pass to Jose Touron, XP no good; (T) B. Batista 5-yard rush, 2-point conversion no good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (T) B. Batista 1-yard rush, Abby Doherty XP good; (OA) Brian Silva 5-yard pass to CJ Crocker, XP no good.

Girls Soccer
North Attleboro, 4 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – North led by two goals early, allowed Sharon to score three straight to grab the lead, and then rallied with a pair of goals in the final 12 minutes to pull out the win. Clara Giuliano opened the scoring for the visitors, finishing off a pass from Angelina Bostock. Samantha Hardy doubled North’s advantage in the 18th minute off of an assist from Caroline Ferrin. Sofia Goclowski sandwiched a brace for the Eagles around a goal from Autumn Simon while Carly Pinnix had a pair of assists. After Sharon took the lead in the 70th minute, Giuliano pulled the Rocketeers level on a shot from 25 yards out in the 76th minute. Just a minute later, Hardy headed in a cross from Lily Adams for the winner.








Field Hockey
Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 6 – Final – Attleboro scored three goals in each half on its way to a win at home over visiting Milford. Stella Krawiec, Marley Young, and Siobhan Landers each scored a pair of goals and had an assist to pace the offense. Alyvia Bessette also had an assist for the Bombardiers.

Canton, 6 @ Sharon, 0 – Final

Franklin, 6 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Franklin’s Haley Wernig scored a pair of second quarter goals inside a five minute span to give the Panthers some breathing room and Kaitlyn Carney’s third quarter tally added key insurance as Franklin survived a tough test from King Philip. The teams traded goals in the first quarter with Payten Crandall’s first goal of the game giving the visitors the lead. Wernig scored twice in the second to take the lead again before KP got one back, cutting the Panthers’ lead to 3-2 at half. Carney scored the lone goal of the third to make it 4-2, and Crandall’s second of the game late in the fourth pushed it to 5-2. KP pulled one back but Franklin once again responded with a goal with just over two minutes to play from Chloe Essam. Leah Santoro, Makenzie McDevitt and Lauren Barriero each had a goal for the Warriors. Devon Barry made six saves in net for Franklin while Haley Bright turned away nine shots for KP.

North Attleboro, 6 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – North Attleboro senior Julia Puccio had a hand in all six of the Rocketeers’ goals, leading the way to a big win on the road. Puccio scored three — the opening goal just under four minutes into the game (from Kelsey Thompson), the third goal of the game on a corner with 30 seconds left in the first half (from Ella Luistro), and the sixth and final, a strike with three minutes to play in the third assisted by Caroline Folan. Carrying a 1-0 lead into the second quarter, Thompson scored off of a corner, Madison Folan added one with 5:20 to go. Caitlin Vacher converted a pass from Puccio with 5:57 left in the third to make it 5-0. Gracie Leary and Eman Farid combined for the shutout for North.

Stoughton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 7 – Final

Mansfield, 0 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final – Foxboro defended its home turf with its third straight shutout and 10th of the season in a 5-0 win over Mansfield. Mary Collins paced the offense with a hat trick while Mya Waryas and Mia Dinunzio each scored once for the Warriors.




Volleyball
Canton, 3 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Sharon rallied to win the third set to keep the match alive but Canton closed out in impressive fashion to secure a 3-1 (25-16, 25-20, 21-25, 25-7) win on the road, avenging a loss to the Eagles from earlier this season. Jess Wright had a great game for the Bulldogs, recording 14 kills, 19 digs, four aces, and a block. Erin Bigham ran the offense with 33 assists and chipped in with a pair of kills while Sally Hoban added 11 kills and a pair of blocks. Haley Duhaime, Riley Costa, and Melanie McDonough provided a spark and played good defense for Canton.

Mansfield, 1 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final – In a great back-and-forth battle, Foxboro emerged with a hard-fought 3-1 (25-23, 27-29, 27-25, 25-21) win over Mansfield in a battle of evenly matched teams. Sami Sloan led the charge offensively for the Warriors with 17 kills and five aces, Juliana Petigrew added eight kills, six digs, and five aces, and Mallorie Meyer chipped in with six kills, two aces, and 13 digs. Alyssa Cloherty ran the offense with 37 assists and three aces. Lauren Rubicine had 16 digs, five aces, and four kills for the Hornets, Elyssa Buchanan added four kills, four digs, and three blocks, Keira Fitzpatrick dished out 13 assists and had 10 digs, and Lily Campbell added seven blocks, five digs, three kills, and a pair of aces.

Franklin, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this match.

Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – After splitting the first two sets, Attleboro cruised to back-to-back wins to finish out a 3-1 (25-5, 21-25, 25-8, 25-8) win over visiting Milford. It was a strong all-around performance for the Bombardiers with Julia Leonardo (21 kills, seven aces), Addie Shelton (10 kills), Ellie Shelton (four aces, two kills), and Tigin Bombardier (four kills) playing well offensively. Natalie Brojek orchestrated the offense with 35 assists along with 10 aces while Sadie Whitmarsh notched 20 digs to anchor the defense.

North Attleboro @ Taunton, 5:15

Stoughton, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this match. – Stoughton tied the match at 1-1 after rallying to take the second set, but Oliver Ames closed it out with two straight set wins for a 3-1 (25-16, 24-26, 25-12, 25-22) decision. Sarah Hilliard (22 kills) and Courtney Raymond (10 kills, six aces) paced the attack while Maddie Homer (41 digs) and Megan MacDonald anchored the defense for the Tigers.




Golf
Foxboro, 91 @ Stoughton, 96 – Final (5 holes) – In a rain-shortened match, Foxboro pulled out a close win over Stoughton. Patrick Callahan and Louis Carangelo each shot 22 through the first five to lead the way for the Warriors and Mat Sullivan carded a 23. Stoughton’s Joe Rush and James Spector each shot 22 through five as well.

North Attleboro @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 3:00

Taunton, 179 @ King Philip, 154 – Final – King Philip closed out its regular season schedule with a non-league win over Taunton. Freshman Evan Regan fired a two-over par medalist round of 37 to lead the way for the Warriors. Senior Gavin Croke added a 38, Ethan Sullivan shot a 39, and Cameron Hasenfus finished with a 40.

Attleboro Overcomes Slow Starts to Net Win at Canton

Attleboro volleyball
Sophomore hitter Addison Shelton rises up for a swing against Canton. Attleboro had to come from behind in all four sets to pull out a 3-1 win. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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CANTON, Mass. – Coming off the program’s first win at perennial Hockomock power Canton and continuing one of the program’s best ever starts to a season, Attleboro coach Mary Katherine Runey was left with a feeling that her team still had another level to reach.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Attleboro trailed in all four sets of Tuesday night’s crossover clash at the Masciarelli Gym, including 18-12 in the first and 10-1 in the second, but managed to rally three times and take the match 3-1 (25-22, 25-21, 20-25, 25-22). Julia Leonardo was once again the standout for the Bombardiers, recording 27 kills to lead the attack.

“It’s a crucial win for us, but I know we can play better,” Runey explained. “It is really difficult to play these tough teams early in the week. It takes a mental mindset to step onto the court and be ready to play and we didn’t do that today.”

She added, “I am very happy. We have shown the mental toughness to come from behind, but we shouldn’t put ourselves in that position.”

Canton coach Pat Cawley has seen her young team overcome adversity through the opening month of the season and remain in playoff contention. She was proud of the way her team battled but admitted that they let slip a chance to upset the Kelley-Rex co-leaders.

“I’m really proud of the way we played,” she said. “We’ve had a tough year. We only have a couple of people who are back from last year and it’s taken us a while to get up to speed. I think that this was one of the best matches we’ve played but we just don’t have the fortitude to finish.”

The Bulldogs got off to a good start in the opening set, building a 13-7 lead. Attleboro was struggling early with its serve-receive and Canton took advantage. Liana Lamparelli and Fatima Sidibay (five blocks and five kills) combined for a big block in the middle and Kaitlin Bigham served an ace to help create a little separation. Leonardo (15 digs and three aces) quickly brought the Bombardiers back with a tip and back-to-back kills, including one that clipped the top of the net.

Canton quickly regained the upper hand through scrappy defense, keeping plays alive to give the hitters multiple chances to swing. A block by Jess Wright put the Bulldogs up 18-12 and forced a timeout. Attleboro showed its resiliency to fight back. Setter Natalie Brojek (43 assists and four aces) won a pair of service points to pull within three.

Leonardo smashed a shot down the line, Tigin Bombardier had a kill in the middle, and Leonardo had consecutive aces to pull the visitors into a 19-19 tie. Addison Shelton (10 kills) and Brianna Frissora (five kills) put Attleboro in front for the first time since it was 6-5. Wright twice got Canton back within one with good swings but Shelton closed out the first with a pair of kills, including the final one that officials ruled got a touch at the net.

Attleboro carried over no momentum from its first-set comeback. Canton jumped all over the Bombardiers in the second, winning the first eight points and leading 10-1. Libero Zoe Scibelli (14 digs and four aces) served up a pair of aces and Wright and Bigham got good points at the net. Freshman setter Erin Bigham (27 assists) looked comfortable getting the Bulldogs into their offense.

The visitors crept back into the set by going to a familiar strategy, feed the ball to Leonardo on the outside as often as possible. She had three kills and Bombardier had a block and a kill to get back within four. Sidibay followed with another block and then a nicely placed tip to extend the lead.

With libero Sadie Whitmarsh chasing down several shots on the back line and keeping plays alive, Attleboro again rallied. An ace from Julia Mondello cut the lead to one and Leonardo stepped up to fire in a winner that tied the set at 19 apiece. Following a kill from Sally Hoban, Leonardo answered with a hit off the block and an ace that clipped the top of the net. Ellie Shelton (seven kills) closed out the second with a big block for a point.

“That has been a game changer for us the balance that we can have in the front row,” Runey said. “That has really been what’s crucial for our offense. Yes, Julia is a power hitter, she knows where to put the ball at the right time, but it’s all about mixing it up. We’ve got to shift the momentum of the game.”

For the first time in the match, Attleboro actually took an early lead in the third, but it was short-lived. A pair of aces from Scibelli put the Bulldogs in front 12-6. After a long rally, Wright would find some room in the Attleboro defense with a well-placed tip and Hoban added another to make it 15-11. The duo combined for 22 kills and 16 digs.

Attleboro would not make it easy on the Bulldogs. Frissora’s tip cut the lead back down to just one but Sidibay came up with another clutch play in the middle. Hoban smashed a shot off the block for a point, Leonardo followed with a kill on the other side, and Sidibay watched her bump drop in to make it 19-17.

Bombardier’s block cut the lead to one again and gave Attleboro fans hope of a sweep, but Wright answered back with a kill. After Erin Bigham dropped a bump in for a point, Wright kept the match going for another set with a big swing.

The energy and momentum was definitely with the home side heading into the fourth and Canton jumped out, again, to an early lead. Hoban and Wright went back-to-back on the outside to make it 10-6 and Sidibay was able to fire a shot off the block for another point.

As usual, Attleboro came right back behind Leonardo. The sophomore fired in a shot from the back row and then added another on the outside. An ace from Ellie Shelton and a Leonardo kill that ended a long rally tied it at 13-13. Leonardo kept swinging for the Bombardiers, going down the line to put them up 17-14.

This time it was Canton that showed resiliency, as Scibelli’s ace dropped in to tie it at 18-18. Addison Shelton had a kill, followed by a Whitmarsh ace to put the Bombardiers up by two. An ace from Brojek extended the lead to 23-19.

“We missed some key serves in that fourth set, the tips we couldn’t dig, just the miscommunications down the end,” Cawley said. “I think it’s a lack of confidence. We’re getting there but I think we could’ve won that match.”

Wright got one back, but there was going to be no comeback and no fifth set, as Attleboro served out the win to remain in a first-place tie with Franklin and King Philip in the Kelley-Rex division.

“They show up the next play, we make the adjustments, and we’re ready to move on from it,” Runey said. “We’re really trying to focus on some mental toughness. Volleyball is a game of momentum, but we can control our mindset and that’s what we’re working on.”

Attleboro (12-1) will try to keep things rolling when it hosts Milford on Thursday. Canton (6-6) will try to avenge an earlier loss when it makes a first visit to Sharon’s new gym.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/03/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
North Attleboro, 0 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Foxboro broke into the win column, riding a first half goal to pick up two points against visiting North Attleboro. After a nice defensive play in the midfield by junior Ryan Flaherty, the Warriors were able to push forward into the attack. A nice run from senior Joel Gygi down the left side resulted in a cross that was parried by the keeper but right to senior Alex Penders, who blasted a low shot into the net for the lone goal of the game in the 23rd minute.

Attleboro, 1 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Attleboro took the lead in the first half but Sharon found a late equalizer to split the points. Esvin Morales scored off of an assist from Alex Vecchioli in the first half, and the Bombardiers carried that lead late into the game before Sharon’s Adam Eastman headed in a cross with five minutes left to tie it.

Taunton, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final – Oliver Ames had an offensive outburst to the tune of seven half goals on its way to a win over visiting Taunton. Sophomore Casey Milliken had a first half hat trick and capped OA’s scoring with his fourth goal in the second half. Andrew Martins added a first half brace (both assisted by Ryan Linhares), Mirray Dasilva had a goal and an assist, and Jason Zalis netted his second goal of the season in the win.

Milford, 9 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Milford’s offense was clicking on all cylinders in a big win on the road at Stoughton. Eduardo Santana had a big day with a first half hat trick, twice hooking up with Jonny Castro and one assist from John Borges. Castro had a third assist in the opening half, setting up Arthur Tome — who finished with a brace and two assists. Nate Dinis (from Nick Ribeiro), Marcello Alves (from Miguel De Olivera), Danny Da Silva, and Andre Baiano also scored for the Scarlet Hawks.

Franklin, 1 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Franklin scored the lone goal of the game just past the midway point of the second half to earn a hard-fought two points on the road against a tough Mansfield squad. Andrew O’Neill was there to pounce on the rebound of a shot from Will Kryzak in the 63rd minute for the lone goal of the game. “Mansfield really made us work for this one,” said Franklin head coach Fran Bositis. Mansfield applied a lot of pressure over the final 15 minutes but couldn’t find the equalizer. Mansfield coach Steve Sheridan praised his defense, highlighting strong performances from Brendan Flynn and goalie Liam Doyle.

King Philip, 3 @ Canton, 5 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – Jake McCabe recorded a second half hat trick to lead Canton to an important two points against visiting King Philip. McCabe had an assist on Canton’s opener, just three minutes in, using a clever touch on a near post run to set up freshman Vlad Francoeur for an open night right in front. The Warriors leveled the match just under 10 minutes later as Andrew Seropian played a great through ball to Matt Crago, who tucked a shot past the keeper in the 12th minute. The Bulldogs went back ahead in the 29th minute as sophomore Owen Morrissey notched his first career goal by heading in a cross to the far post from senior Carson Eagles. In the second half, McCabe scored twice inside the first 15 minutes, racing onto a ball over the top and beating the keeper 1-v-1, and then off of a deflected throw-in in the 54th minute to make it 5-1. King Philip scored twice in the final 10 minutes, first off of a deflection for a goal to Deven Patel, and then in the final moments when junior Keagan Fletcher played classmate Jack Morgan through for a breakaway.




Girls Soccer
Sharon, 5 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Canton, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Ella Pisani scored a brace and the KP defense was able to quiet Canton’s potent attack to pick up an impressive win and move alone into first place in the Kelley-Rex division. Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn tapped in a corner, assisted by Kylie Menendez, in the 28th minute for what turned out to be the game-winner. Pisani would add a pair of second half goals to seal the win. The first came with 19 minutes to play, taking a pass from Menendez and firing a shot over the keeper from 25 yards. With two minutes left, Pisani tapped in a perfect cross from Heidi Lawrence. Lauren Casper got the clean sheet in net, making five saves. KP coach Gary Pichel made a point of praising his back line, Grace Lawler, Rihanna Mason, Rylie Wesley, and Lamothe-Vaughn for its play in the shutout.

Foxboro, 1 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – North scored in the closing seconds to rescue a point against Foxboro. Trailing by a goal late, Emma Pratt scored the equalizer on a rebound after a cross from Kaitlyn Joyce. The Warriors had the majority of possession throughout and took the lead when Neve Taylor found the back of the net from a Lindsey Resnick assist.

Mansfield, 0 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – Mansfield and Franklin were unable to find the back of the net and settled for a point apiece in a hard-fought game. Franklin coach Tom Geysen said that it was evenly matched and well-played by both teams, while Mansfield coach Kevin Smith said there was a playoff intensity to the match. Mansfield keeper Olivia Salisbury made four saves to earn her fifth clean sheet.

Stoughton, 4 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Stoughton rallied from a three-goal deficit and Makenzie O’Connor scored with just two minutes to play to secure a dramatic come-from-behind victory. Ava Baglione scored twice and Dani Atherton added a third to put the Hawks into a 3-0 lead. Shayla Ford scored once to get back within two before halftime and then added her second to make it 3-2 after the break. Bianca Casna tied the game for the Black Knights, before O’Connor, who also had an assist, fired in the winner.

Oliver Ames, 6 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Jenna Gilman scored twice to lead OA to a big road win Emma Gavin, Mary Cross, Jolie Diaz, and Laney Carroll each added one for Oliver Ames in the win while Lucinda Li Cotter had three assists and Sophia Byron had one Jenna Nelson and Ali Manson also added strong performances for the visitors. Juliana Matos scored Taunton’s lone goal on an assist from Emily Calderon and keeper Ashlyn Hebert made eight saves. Taunton coach Dan Borges was happy with his team’s effort and aggression in the second half and the way the Tigers kept fighting despite being behind.








Field Hockey
Sharon, 0 @ Attleboro, 7 – Final – Junior Siobhan Landers scored a hat trick and senior Marley Young had three assists as Attleboro rolled to a big win at home. Landers scored a trio of goals, including one on a stroke, senior Jordan Mooney added a pair of goals, and both sophomore Nora Desrosiers and junior Bailey Ellis scored once in the win. Senior Alyvia Bessette also had an assist while sophomore Siany Ortez recorded the shutout in net.

Foxboro, 3 vs. North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Foxboro junior Mary Collins scored twice and added an assist on the third as the Warriors earned a hard-fought win over North Attleboro. Jenny Gallagher opened the scoring for Foxboro on a pass from Collins, who then scored back-to-back goals for the Warriors. Mia Dinunzio and Mya Waryas had the assists on Foxboro’s second goal while Val Beigel and Dinunzio notched assists on the third tally. Beigel had a standout performance in the midfield for Foxboro while Waryas and Collins both played well offensively.

Mansfield, 0 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Franklin scored twice in the second quarter, and then once in each the third and fourth, to pick up a win over visiting Mansfield. After a scoreless first quarter, the Panthers got on the board just over midway through the second when Haley Wernig buried an unassisted goal. The Panthers doubled their lead with a minute left in the half as Sydney Rogan set up Kaitlyn Carney to make it 2-0. In the second half, Wernig got her second (from Chloe Essam) with less than a minute left in the third, and Payten Crandall made it 4-0 (from Carney) less than two minutes into the fourth. Devon Barry had the shutout in net for the hosts.

Stoughton, 1 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Stoughton returned from a trip to Milford with its first win of the season, recording a 1-0 victory over the Scarlet Hawks. Carly Sanda scored for the Black Knights, converting a pass from Katherine Giroux. Kerry Driscoll and Cat Melo played excellent defense throughout the game to help seal the win for the Black Knights.

Canton, 5 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – Deadlocked at 2-2 at halftime, Canton used a strong second half to secure a key win on the road. Freshman Carolyn Schiavo had a hat trick to pace the offense while Audrey Koen and Ellie Bohane each scored once for the Bulldogs. Abby Macdonald and Mara Boldy (from Kelly Holmes) scored first half goals for King Philip.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – Oliver Ames scored once in each half to emerge from a defensive battle with Taunton for the win. Erin Cottam scored both goals for the Tigers with Julia Maclaine recording the assist each time. Olivia O’Rourke had the shutout in net for the visitors.




Volleyball
Canton, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip took care of business, earning a three-set sweep of visiting Canton (25-9, 25-14, 25-15). The Warriors continued to play well at the net with a balanced attack: senior Emily Sawyer (two blocks) had 11 kills while classmates Sami Shore (two aces) Ahunna James (nine digs), and Olivia O’Neil (five digs) each chipped in with six kills apiece. For Canton, Sally Hoban and Fatima Sidibay played well at the net while Kelly Schiavo and Zoe Scibelli played good defense.

Mansfield, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Taylor Lacerda and Makayla Kuykendall both had strong games as Franklin notched another 3-0 win (25-17, 25-17, 25-22), this time against a solid Mansfield squad. Lacerda had 11 kills in the win, adding five digs, a block, and an ace while Kuykendall recorded 16 digs, six kills, and four aces.

Foxboro, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final

Stoughton, 3 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Stoughton notched one of its best wins of the season, going on the road and grabbing a 3-1 win over the Scarlet Hawks. Patrik Oliveira anchored the defense for the Black Knights with 12 digs.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames bounced back from a close first set loss to win three straight, taking a 3-1 decision (22-25, 25-7, 25-20, 25-21) over Taunton. Junior Sarah Hilliard continued her strong play at the net with 21 kills and three aces, sophomore Clare Kavoulis had 39 assists, Maddie Homer added 17 digs, Courtney Raymond chipped in with eight aces and five kills, and Addyson Smock finished with six kills and four blocks.

Sharon, 1 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – After splitting the first two sets, Attleboro took two in a row to fend off a stiff test from visiting Sharon, 3-1 (25-8, 21-25, 25-13, 25-17). Julia Leonardo led the offense with 16 kills, nine digs, and two aces, Ellie Shelton added seven kills, and Addie Shelton chipped in with six kills and four aces. Natalie Brojek orchestrated the offense with 30 assists and added five kills as well.

Golf
Taunton @ Attleboro, 2:20

Franklin, 145 @ Oliver Ames, 144 – Final – The battle of the top two teams lived up to the hype as Oliver Ames earned a one-stroke win over Franklin in a non-league clash between division leaders. The Tigers’ top four of senior Michael McGinnis, senior Daniel Paul, junior David Rodgers, and junior Sean Kearns all shot a 36 at their home course of Pine Oaks for the win. Franklin’s Tyler O’Brien and Jack Hagerty shared medalist honors, both firing a round of 34.

Sharon, 188 @ Mansfield, 160 – Final – Drew Urban fired a medalist round of 38 to lead Mansfield to a win and a season-sweep of now division rival Sharon on the links at Norton Country Club. Nate McClean added a 39 in the win, Jason Friedman finished with a 41, and Hayden O’Connor rounded out the scoring with a round of 42 for the Hornets.

Milford, 168 @ King Philip, 151 – Final – Senior co-captain Gavin Croke shot an even par round of 35 to earn medalist honors and King Philip took down visiting Milford at Wentworth Hills. Croke had birdies on two and six in his medalist round. Ethan Sullivan added a 38 for KP while Cam Hasenfus, Jason Silva, and Evan Regan all came in with a 39.

Canton, 160 @ Stoughton, 173 – Final – Canton hit the road and came back home from Easton Country Club with a win over Stoughton. Brendan Tourgee earned match medalist honors, leading the way for the Bulldogs with a 38. Huck McCready added a 40 in the win and both Matt Anderson and Gavin McMahon shot a 41. Stoughton’s Mason Page and Colby Strunk each shot a 41.

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/28/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Foxboro, 0 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – After a scoreless first half, Attleboro exploded for four goals in the second half to surge past visiting Foxboro. It took the hosts less than five minutes to start the second half scoring when Lucas Marques was quick to pounce on a rebound in the box after Foxboro keeper Ryan Cotter made a strong stop on a blast from Esvin Morales. Attleboro doubled the lead in the 50th minute, striking on a quick counter after a Foxboro corner. Billy Badger got the ball up to Steve Etienne, who played a streaking Luke Hagopian in on goal and his low shot found the back of the net despite Cotter getting a piece of it. Richard Ferreira linked up with Morales in the 65th minute, and Morales played a perfect switch over the top of the defense to find Kyle Neuendorf, who blasted a shot from in close that was denied by Cotter, but Neuendorf cleaned up his own rebound. The Bombardiers capped the scoring late when Ferreira headed a corner from Neuendorf off the crossbar and Clay Tyler was first to it and nodded it past the keeper.

Sharon, 0 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – King Philip found the back of the net for the lone goal of the game in the final moments to give the Warriors an upset win over visiting Sharon. Junior Jack Morgan scored the winner in the 79th minute, finishing off an assist from classmate Neelam McGrath. Senior Connor O’Reilly recorded four saves for the shutout in net.

Mansfield, 3 @ Milford, 4 – Final – For the second straight game, Milford buried three first half goals but this time, needed one in the second half to put away visiting Mansfield, who rallied for three goals in the second half. All three first half goals came in the final 20 minutes, starting with Johnny Castro’s first career goal. Castro, who was called up from the JV team, latched onto a pass from Kevin Barbosa and got just enough to touch it past the keeper for a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute. Nick Ribero found Castro on the left sideline, and his through ball to Arthur Tome sent him into the box where he was able to touch past a defender before being brought down for a penalty kick. Tome finished the pen himself in the 31st minute, burying a low right-footed shot into the corner. Freshman Danny Da Silva was fouled in the final moments of the first half and Ribeiro drilled a free kick from 25 yards out, over the wall and inside the near post past the outstretched keeper for a 3-0 lead at halftime. Mansfield pulled one back in the 56th minute as Grady Sullivan’s long throw in into the area snuck under a defender’s foot and fell right to Dan Checkoway, who buried it from in close. Milford answered six minutes later when Kaua Pereira looped a header from a Ribeiro free kick over the keeper to make it 4-1. Tyler Znoj took a free kick quickly at the top of the area before the Hawks’ defense or keeper could set to bring the Hornets’ within two. Aidan Lopes had a great run before laying it off for Sam Oliver for a shot from distance that skipped in to make it 4-3 in the 79th minute.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames continued its undefeated start to the season, grabbed its fifth win of the season with a 3-0 decision on the road at North Attleboro. The Tigers built a 1-0 lead in the first half when sophomore Casey Milliken buried a free kick from just outside the area for the lone goal of the first half. Ryan Linhares doubled the visitors’ advantage, finishing off a deflected pass from Milliken. Michael MacAdam capped the scoring, converted a penalty kick that he earned himself after being brought down in the box. Drew Hall notched his third shutout of the season while defenders Hector Bucio, Jake Williams, Diego Rivera, and Jackson Mercieri played well in front of him.

Canton, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Behind a pair of goals in each half, Franklin pushed its unbeaten streak to six games with a win over visiting Canton. Trey Lovell and Andrew O’Neill each had a goal and an assist in the win, bookending the scoring for the hosts. The two hooked up for the opener as O’Neill set Lovell in the 13th minute to make it 1-0. Lovell then assisted on Franklin’s second goal from center back Rex Cinelli to double the advantage. Sophomore Vignan Kamarthi opened his account in the 60th minute, taking a pass from Bradley Herndon for the Panthers’ third goal. O’Neill capped Franklin’s scoring, notching a goal in the second straight game off an assist from Garrett Scagliarini in the 75th minute. Franklin coach Fran Bositis praised the play of his midfield, noting the strong efforts from Noah Cain along with centerbacks Will Klawson and Cinelli.

Stoughton, 2 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Taunton emerged from a back-and-forth, competitive contest on its brand new turf field with two points behind a brace from Javonte Fernandes and a late-winner from Josh Letourneau. The visitors notched the first goal of the game as Sam Santos worked his way behind the defense in the 10th minute and slid one past the keeper one-on-one for the early lead. The Tigers pulled level in the 20th minute as senior Aidden Fitting made a great run from his outside back spot and was taken down in the area for a penalty kick. Fernandes stepped up and converted with a low shot to the corner. Taunton took its first lead just five minutes into the second half when Fitting sent a long ball into the area that was flicked on by Riley Rebello. Fernandes was able to collect in the area and blast a deflected shot into the back of the net for a 2-1 lead. Similar to Stoughton’s first half, Taunton’s advantage didn’t last long. The Knights sent two to the corner, and with just one Taunton defender, were able to use a quick one-two with Matheus Groberio open for a shot, which he blasted past the keeper. The winner game in the 70th minute after 20 minutes of near chances from both sides, including one off the post from Fernandes that prevented his hat trick. A throw from Rebello bounced past the Stoughton defense and Letourneau latched on, keeping it in play on the end line before using a tidy finish to the far post to make it 3-2. Taunton keeper Jack Buffington made a save in the final minutes on a good header from Joao Marotti. Ben Shirey played well in net for Stoughton, including a one-on-one save on Fernandes in the 60th minute.








Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 2 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Attleboro put in what head coach Steve Santos described as a complete team performance on both ends of the field to pick up the road win over Foxboro and move back to .500 on the season. Jamie Davies scored the winner from the spot after Tatum O’Brien’s slaloming run drew a foul in the box. In the second half, Zenda Gjoni headed in a Kacey Parker free kick to secure the two points for the Bombardiers. Alexis Campbell had another strong game in net to earn the clean sheet. Lindsey Resnick had a good game for the Warriors in the back and delivered several dangerous set pieces, while Lauren Miley had a strong game in midfield, but Foxboro couldn’t find the finishing touch.

Franklin, 1 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

King Philip, 7 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – KP continued its scorching form in front of goal, scoring seven times on the grass at Sharon. The Warriors have scored 20 goals over the last three games. Ella Pisani sparked the attack again on Wednesday, scoring one goal and assisting on four others. Sofia Goclowski scored both Sharon goals and Autumn Simon recorded an assist. KP grabbed the lead in the fifth minute, as Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn took a pass from Pisani and found the back of the net from 30 yards out. Pisani teed up Rachel DeFlaminis for her fourth goal in the last two games to make it 2-0 at the midway point of the first half. Seconds before the break, Pisani got a hat trick of assists, playing Heidi Lawrence in behind the defense. Pisani got a goal of her own four minutes into the second half, with DeFlaminis picking up the helper. DeFlaminis added another assist six minutes later with a cross that Mikayla Thompson put away. Eilish McGowen blasted a 25-yard shot with 20 minutes to play (assisted by Pisani) and Olivia Florindi scored off a pass from Ally Smith to make it seven.

North Attleboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames tallied a pair of goals in each half to earn its sixth win of the season, a 4-1 verdict over visiting North Attleboro. Mary Cross wasted little time to give the hosts the lead, converting just five minutes in for a quick 1-0 lead. Sophia Byron netted an “olimpico” in the 26th minute, curling in a corner kick directly in to double the Tigers’ advantage. In the second half, Jessica Keane added to OA’s lead off a feed from Emma Gavin in the 65th minute, and Carly Gibson (from Lucinda Li Cotter) capped the hosts’ scoring in the 72nd minute.

Taunton, 2 @ Stoughton, 5 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Stoughton senior Shayla Ford and sophomore Makenzie O’Connor each scored twice to lead the Black Knights to a 5-2 win over visiting Taunton. Sophomore Bianca Casna opened the scoring in the 11th minute, combining with Emma Tran just outside the area before unleashing a shot to the near post for a 1-0 lead. Stoughton doubled its lead less than 10 minutes later as Ford took down a throw in from classmate Isabella Rodrigues, cut around a defender and blasted a shot that hit off the far post and in to give the hosts a 2-0 lead, which they carried into halftime. O’Connor made it 3-0 in the 44th minute but Taunton junior Ava Alves answered, looping a high arching shot that bounced off the crossbar and in. Four minutes later, Taunton goalie Hayleigh Porter made a nice one-handed save on a free kick from Stoughton’s Emma Tremblay, but the ball hit off the crossbar and Ford was the first too the rebound and buried it in the 50th minute. Taunton eighth-grader Kaylee Lopes won an individual battle before slotting a shot to the far post in the 57th minute, but a last minute goal from O’Connor capped the scoring at 5-2. Freshman Molly Fox made seven saves in net for the win for Stoughton.




Field Hockey
Franklin, 4 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton took the led on an early goal in the first quarter, but Franklin rallied with three straight to grab the lead and a win over its fellow division leader. Izzy Digirolamo put the Bulldogs in front after two minutes, but Payten Crandall tied it with the first of her three goals. The game remained tied until the third quarter. Haley Wernig put the Panthers in front off assists from Sophia Cuneo and Shaw Downing. Crandall’s second unassisted goal of the night made it 3-1 in the fourth but Canton answered back on a goal from Carolyn Schiavo. Crandall capped her hat trick and sealed the points by finishing off a pass from Emily Carney in the final minute. Devon Barry made one save for the Panthers.

King Philip, 7 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – King Philip junior Mara Boldy recorded three points to lead the Warriors to a win against visiting Sharon. Boldy had one goal and a pair of assists in the win while both Leah Santoro and Ella McDonell scored a pair of goals. KP senior Kari Calderone notched her first career goal in the win.

Attleboro, 0 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final

North Attleboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final

Taunton, 5 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Taunton got back in the win column for the second time this season after collecting a 5-1 victory on the road at Stoughton. Kaysie DeMoura scored a pair of goals and added an assist to pace the Tigers’ offense while Caroline Vallarelli scored twice and Ayla Jackson had one in the win. Morgan Groppi scored off an assist from a Katherine Giroux for the Black Knights, while Kerry Driscoll, Cat Melo, and Jordan Coleman played excellent defensively.




Volleyball
King Philip, 3 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – After rolling to a two-set lead, Sharon surprised the visiting Warriors with a third-set win but King Philip finished strong to earn a 3-1 win (25-12, 25-16, 22-25, 25-9). Sami Shore dazzled at the net in the win, landing 16 kills along with a pair of aces to pace the KP offense. Emily Sawyer added six kills, four aces, and three blocks, Ahunna James notched seven kills, two aces, and eight digs, and sophomore Madison Asprelli had 22 assists and six aces in the win.

North Attleboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames defended home court with a clean sweep, 3-0 (25-11, 25-18, 25-18), of visiting North Attleboro. Sophomore Caroline Hansen had a standout performance, notching 10 kills for the Tigers. Clare Kavoulis dished out 25 assists, Sarah Hilliard landed 20 kills, Maddie Homer notched 19 digs, and Courtney Raymond chipped in with five aces and three kills.

Attleboro, 3 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Attleboro went on the road to Foxboro and came back home with a win, sweeping the Warriors 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-18). Natalie Brojek continued to shine for the Bombardiers with 20 assists, eight digs, and four aces, Julia Leonardo added 14 digs, nine kills, and four aces, and Sadie Whitmarsh was strong defensively with 15 digs. Addie Shelton (six kills) and Ellie Shelton (four kills) were strong at the net. For Foxboro, Alysa Cloherty had 16 assists along with four digs, two aces, and two kills, and Sami Sloan notched eight digs and seven kills.

Milford, 3 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final

Taunton, 1 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Stoughton fended off a challenge from visiting Taunton, emerging with a 3-1 win over the Tigers. Junior Maya Ashu (eight kills) and senior Jessie Queeney paced the offense for the Black Knights.

Franklin, 3 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Franklin returned from a trip to Canton with a dominant 3-0 (25-11, 25-13, 25-15) sweep of the Bulldogs. Taylor Lacerda continued to do it all for the Panthers, notching 12 digs, 10 kills, and a pair of aces while Makayla Kuykendall had a strong game with 11 kills, nine digs, and four aces. Sophomore Zoe Scibelli and junior Kelly Schiavo played great defense for Canton, adding six aces.

Boys Cross Country
Taunton, 21 @ Milford, 37 – Final – Twins Brayden and Andrew Cali took the top two spots, less than 10 seconds apart, to lead the Tigers to a win over visiting Milford. Brayden Cali was first overall in 17:24 while Andrew Cali clocked in at 17:32. Senior Jack Pawlowski was fifth overall, junior Daris Alves took sixth, and senior Aiden Zamora was Taunton’s fifth scorer and seventh overall.

Canton, 16 @ Stoughton, 46 – Final – Canton took the top four spots on its way to a win on the road at Stoughton. Luke Darling led the pack, taking first in 18:54 for the Bulldogs. Sam Vail, Austin DiBiaso, and Dom Gray took the next three spots for the visitors. Maks Alves also had a strong race for the Bulldogs, setting a new personal best.

Mansfield, 19 @ Foxboro, 40 – Final

Oliver Ames, 20 @ Sharon, 35 – Final

North Attleboro, 40 @ Attleboro, 21 – Final

King Philip, 31 @ Franklin, 27 – Final

Girls Cross Country
Taunton, 26 @ Milford, 29 – Final – By taking second, third, and fourth overall, Taunton pulled out a close win over the Scarlet Hawks. Milford’s Sydney Kalil took first but Taunton’s Colby Dunham (20:34), Emersyn DePonte, and Kiley Quinlan took the next three spots for key points. Sophomore Arianna Abatangelo added a seventh place finish and senior Jakhai Nicholson finished 10th to give the Tigers the win.

Canton, 34 @ Stoughton, 21 – Final – Canton was led by Johanna Bouwmeester (24:18), who took fourth overall, followed by Tahlia Weaver and Tema Manzonson. Klara Redquest had a solid race for the Bulldogs, running a season best time (25:51).

Mansfield @ Foxboro, 3:45

Oliver Ames, 15 @ Sharon, 50 – Final

North Attleboro, 19 @ Attleboro, 36 – Final

King Philip 45 @ Franklin, 18 – Final – For King Philip, senior Kate Burban took third overall in 21:10 while senior Leah Burke (10th) clocked in at 22:35 and junior Rachel Bailer (12th) came in at 22:51.

Golf
Milford, 147 @ Stoughton, 161 – Final – Stoughton had one of its best performances in program history but fell to a strong Scarlet Hawks squad. Junior Anthony LaPierre continued to shine for Milford, earning medalist honors with a one-under round of 35 while Nate Lawrence came in with an even par round of 36. Jacob Hipolito added a 37 in the win for Milford. Stoughton was led by juniors Colby Strunk (37) and Mason page (39).

Sharon, 169 @ Oliver Ames, 147 – Final – Behind a one-under round from junior Sean Kearns, Oliver Ames moved to 8-0 on the season with a win over visiting Sharon. Kearns was the match medalist after carding a 33, recording a birdie on three holes (1, 4, and 9). Seniors Daniel Paul (37), Michael McGinnis (38), and David Rodgers (39) rounded out the scoring for OA. James Spoto and Dylan Cummings led the Eagles at Pine Oaks, each coming in with a 41.

Foxboro, 157 @ Canton, 159 – Final – Foxboro senior Josh Connolly fired a team-low round of 38 and both freshman Zac Georgantas and senior Louis Caranglo came in under 40 as the Warriors secured a rare win at Blue Hill Country Club, sweeping the season series against the Bulldogs. Georgantas and Carangelo both shot a 39 while seniors Reese Curreri and Mat Sullivan came in at 41 to help the Warriors get the close win. Canton sophomore Huck McCready had another medalist round, shooting a 37 to lead all golfers. Matt Anderson added a 39 for the hosts, Brian Middleton shot a 41, and Brendan Tourgee rounded out the scoring with a 42.

North Attleboro, 164 @ Franklin, 155 – Final – In a crossover clash between two of the top squads in the Kelley-Rex division, Franklin defended its home turf with a win over visiting North Attleboro. Tyler O’Brien and Jack Hagerty shared medalist honors in the win, each shooting a 37 on the day. CJ Steel added a 40 in the win and Caden Sullivan rounded out the Panthers’ scoring with a 41. Jordan Paradis led the visiting Rocketeers with a team-low round of 38.

Taunton, 185 @ Mansfield, 162 – Final – Mansfield emerged from its crossover match with Taunton with a big win at Norton Country Club. Nathan McClean led the Hornets with a medalist round of 39, Drew Urban added a 40, and Davon Sanders chipped in with 41 after a strong finish. Brendan Vokey and Cody Nieratko each shot a 41 to round out Mansfield’s scoring.

2022 Hockomock League Volleyball Preview

2022 Hockomock League Volleyball Preview
Franklin will be looking for another league title this fall. Check out our team-by-team breakdown of the upcoming Hockomock League volleyball season. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2022 Hockomock League Volleyball Preview

2022 Hockomock Volleyball Preview

Attleboro

2021 Record: 9-10
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Round of 32
Coach: Mary Katherine Runey
For the first time in more than a decade, Attleboro got the taste of playoff volleyball and the Bombardiers have younger players stepping into leadership positions that will give them a solid foundation for another tournament run. There is excitement around the program and opening the new gym has added another layer to the fall.

One of the reasons for the energy in the team is sophomore outside hitter Julia Leonardo, who jumped in as a freshman and became one of the most dynamic hitters in the league. Junior setter Natalie Brojek has been an all-around standout for the past two seasons and makes the team click. Senior Tigin Bombardier will give Attleboro experience in the middle.

Those are the only three returning players from last year, but there are several new faces that could make an instant impact. Sophomores Addison and Ellie Shelton are new hitters that will give depth on the outside. Juniors Sadie Whitmarsh and Julia Mondello will provide defensive solidity to the back line.

“The level of success we achieved last season certainly changed the tone of our entire program, and I believe our future is bright,” said Attleboro coach Mary Katherine Runey. “As a young team, we have spent the past two weeks learning how to play together and in the next few weeks, we will need to learn how to win together. As we progress through the season, our goal is to minimize errors in order to efficiently run our offense and showcase the talent within our team.”

Canton

2021 Record: 15-7
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 16
Coach: Pat Cawley
Canton has established itself as one of the perennial powers year in and year out, and one thing that comes with that territory is graduating a handful of talented seniors each year. Last year was no exception, but Hall of Fame coach Pat Cawley has shown time and time again she will have a competitive squad that’s much better by the end of the season than the start.

The Bulldogs graduated all but two starters, bringing back juniors Jess Wright at outside hitter and Fatima Sidibay at middle blocker. Cawley will be leaning heavily on them for their guidance of a young and inexperienced squad. Wright isn’t just one of the best outside hitters, she can play just about anywhere on the court and showed tremendous growth throughout last season. After showing off some great blocking skills last year, the Dogs will look for some more offensive production on swings from the middle from Sidibay. Senior captain Liana Lamparelli and sophomore Sally Hoban will provide depth offensively.

Defensively, Canton is looking at sophomore defensive specialist Zoe Scibelli, who saw meaningful minutes in the back row a year ago. Haley Duhaime, Liz Beale, Neveah Osborne, and Riley Costa round out the senior class and will contribute valuable minutes for Canton this year.

“We have many moving parts at this point but the young, inexperienced group is willing to work hard and anxious to learn,” Cawley said. “Three setters and several defensive players are vying for time on the court. The growth potential is exponential and it will be fun to watch the progression. The extremely competitive Hock will help accelerate the learning curve!”







Foxboro

2021 Record: 4-17
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 3 Round of 32
Coach: Vicki Santana
With 11 seniors returning to the roster this year, Foxboro is looking to have a bounce-back year and return to the state tournament with an improved rating in the MIAA’s statewide system.

The Warriors have key pieces back at all spots on the court and head coach Vicki Santana is optimistic about the season after a strong showing so far this preseason. Sami Sloan led the squad with 111 kills last season and is back as one of the outside hitters along with Juliana Pettigrew (88 kills) and Ava Hill. Foxboro also has both of its middles back with Mallorie Meyer, a Hock all star a year ago with 80 kills and 46 aces, and Ava Kirk both returning.

Defensively, the Warriors have their libero back in the lineup in senior Shannon McElhinney, who had 157 digs last year and was a Hock honorable mention selection.

“All of these players bring a love for the sport and determination to win,” Santana said. “We only graduated two seniors last year so we are hoping that with most of the team being returning varsity players we will have a very competitive season. So far the team has been playing great at our preseason scrimmages so hopefully, we carry that energy into our first game vs Milford!”

2022 Hockomock Volleyball Preview

Franklin

2021 Record: 18-2 (Kelley-Rex co-champion)
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Final Four
Coach: Samantha Redmond
Although Franklin only graduated a small number of seniors from last year’s team that made the Division 1 state semifinals, the Panthers lost a lot of production.

Gone are Caitlyn Mackintosh, last year’s HockomockSports Player of the Year, Lindsey Tarantola, a league all star that led the league in blocks, and Brigid Earley, one of the top middles in the Hock. But this isn’t the first time the Panthers have lost a talented senior class, multiple all stars, or even an MVP – and they’ve always found a way to come back and compete as a top team in the league.

Three-year starter Taylor Lacerda returns to pace the offense, leading the Panthers in kills a year ago as a sophomore with 155. She’s the lone six rotation returner in the group so head coach Samantha Redmond – who picked up a boost on the bench with the addition of former head coach Kelsey Weymouth as an assistant – will be looking for new faces to step into key roles at the net.

There will be some changes along the backline as senior Meghan Linkkila will move from the libero position to take over as the setter, and classmate and fellow captain Georgia Harvey, who was a defensive specialist last year, will take on the libero role.

“Franklin volleyball is really excited to continue our hard work this year,” Redmond said. “We lost a strong four seniors last year but we are confident that this new class of players will bring a lot of diversity to our offense and defense. We look forward to proving ourselves in the Hockomock once again!”




King Philip

2021 Record: 22-2 (Kelley-Rex co-champion)
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final Four
Coach: Kristen Geuss
King Philip has shared the Kelley-Rex title for the past three seasons and with a senior-laden roster, the Warriors look ready to make a push for another division crown. After a run to the Div. 2 state semifinal. KP has the experience and the depth at the net to be a threat for another deep tournament run.

The Warriors will be strong up front. Senior middle Emily Sawyer made her varsity debut as a junior and immediately became one of the best hitters in the league. The Sacred Heart-commit is an impact player on both sides of the net. Senior Sami Shore gives KP the most dynamic middle pairing in the league and can dominate a match. If teams try to bottle up the middle of the net, then senior Ahunna James can take over on the outside, giving KP great attacking balance. Seniors Olivia O’Neil and Missy Canning add depth at hitter and senior setter Kiera Hagen will run the offense this year.

In addition to the seniors, KP can count on junior right-side Kate O’Neil and juniors Ryann O’Sullivan, Emily Zappala, and Fiona Bailey on the outside. On the back line, juniors Shea Mellman, Ava Kelley, and Meghan Sullivan provide strong defensive play. Sophomore setter Madison Asprelli is a newcomer who could step into a bigger role over the course of the season.

“We are working hard to build on our success from last year,” said KP coach Kristen Geuss. “We have good chemistry and the girls are looking forward to the season.”

2022 Hockomock Volleyball Preview

Mansfield

2021 Record: 9-8
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32
Coach: Tara DeGirolamo
Making the switch to the Davenport division this season, Mansfield is looking to ride a mix of veterans and new players to some success on the court this year.

Second-year head coach Tara DeGirolamo is excited for the season to get underway as she tries to fit all the right pieces together for her squad. Junior Elyssa Buchanan burst onto the scene as an attacking option last year and will be one of the Hornets’ go-to hitters on the outside along with senior Ella Mahoney. In the middle, Lexie Scibilia will be looking to build on her big season last year (48 blocks) along with senior Lily Campbell.

There are a lot of options at setter with senior captain Isabella Flint (132 assists) back as one of the primary ball handlers with junior Kiera Fitzpatrick and freshman Tessa Blaqueir both in the mix as well. The setters will also have options on the right side with senior captain Lilly Verheggan and junior Anna Goulet taking swings from the opposite side, with senior Savannah Carey and juniors Sophia Capaolupo and Elena O’Keefe providing depth.

Defensively, DeGirolamo will lean on senior libero Jackie Zelic to anchor the defense along with junior defensive specialists Lauren Rubicine and Jocelyn Gibson.

“Our setters have great court awareness and mesh very well with our diverse group of hitters,” DeGirolamo said. “We’re excited for the season.”

Milford

2021 Record: 8-11
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32
Coach: Tammy Webber
Between a handful of varsity returners and a group of eager new faces ready to make their mark, Milford is looking to challenge in the Kelley-Rex and book a spot in the state tournament.

The heart of the Hawks will be in the middle of the lineup with the team’s leader in kills from a year ago Aliza Syed back to anchor both the offense and the defense. She had a breakout season with 187 kills, 61 aces, and 34 blocks, which were all first on the team. She will be flanked by junior Maeve Driscoll on the outside, who jumps into the starting lineup this year and will play in the back row as well. Senior Molly Hartman provides depth at the outside hitter spot.

“[Aliza] will be counted on to carry us in those categories once again this season,” said Milford head coach Tammy Webber. “She is strong and athletic with a tough serve and can hit with power.”

Milford also returns its starting setter in senior captain Emily Croteau, who finished inside the top five in the league in assists last season. Having a year of experience under her belt, the Hawks will lean on her confidence and skill to spread the ball around and run the offense. Senior defensive specialist Carley Haley will anchor the backline.




2022 Hockomock Volleyball Preview

North Attleboro

2021 Record: 9-10
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32
Coach: Rachel Gould
After making a push for a playoff spot last season, North Attleboro will make a change on the sidelines as Rachel Gould takes over this fall. The Rocketeers will also be returning to the ultra-competitive Kelley-Rex division and with five varsity players back in the lineup North will be looking to fight for another tournament spot.

The senior class will need to provide leadership for the new faces in this year’s squad. Senior Avery Bitar will give the team a defensive solidity as the libero. Senior Grace Dirschel is the returning setter from last season and senior Sarah Kayata is another strong backline player that should help North keep points alive.

Up front, seniors Haley Carr and Mariah Barbosa are returning middle hitters that can step in and swing and also make an impact on the block. Freshman Lincoln Abramaitys will get the chance to shine right from the start as the team’s main outside hitter. Abramaitys is the only underclassman on the roster this year.

“I have a great group of hard-working talented athletes and I think we are going to have a competitive season this year,” Gould explained.

Oliver Ames

2021 Record: 16-5 (Davenport champion)
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 16
Coach: Chelsea Cunningham
Oliver Ames is ready to get on the court and defend its Davenport division title.

The Tigers know they’ll be challenged by perennial powerhouse Canton, division newcomer Mansfield, a veteran-filled Foxboro squad, and the rest of the division, and they’ll have to overcome the graduation of the versatile Hadley Rhodes, but OA has some top talent returning at almost every position.

Senior Maddie Homer is back for yet another season as the libero to anchor the back line. An All-State selection a year ago, Homer will be joined by junior Rachel Fleischman, another returner, in the back row to give the Tigers an experienced defensive duo.

Offensively, there will be more familiar faces taking swings at the net. Senior captain Courtney Raymond (56 kills, 18 blocks) is back in the middle as one of OA’s primary attackers and she’ll be complemented by a pair of terrific outside hitters in junior Sarah Hilliard (272 kills) and Claire O’Rourke (156 kills). Sophomore Addyson Smock bolsters the middle block while sophomore Clare Kavoulis and junior Paula Romero provide some depth.

“There is something special about this group,” said OA head coach Chelsea Cunningham. “The talent speaks for itself, they’re putting in the work, and they are eager to compete. These girls know everything is “earned not given” – which happens to be our program’s motto this season. With that, they know there’s a lot of work to do to make this the best season yet. If they commit to one another and the goals we set from the start, there’s no doubt in my mind that they’ll do just that.”

2022 Hockomock Volleyball Preview

Sharon

2021 Record: 6-14
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32
Coach: Andrea Lovett
It has been two straight impressive seasons for the Sharon volleyball program. Two years ago, during Fall II, the Eagles nearly won a league title and would’ve booked a playoff spot if a tournament was held. Last season, Sharon not only reached the state tournament but also won its first-round match against Revere. With a brand new gym and five seniors on the roster, Sharon will be hoping the momentum carries over to this fall.

Sharon will be counting on the development of its senior hitters. Amanda Brown will be the main target on the outside, while Olivia Nau has been impressive on the right side. The middle should be tough on both sides of the net with junior Jasmine Davis stepping up as both a blocker and hitter and senior Sam Dunham adding depth after her move up from the JV team. Junior Sonja Gray will be the main setter for the team again this season with help from classmate Masha Dolienkova.

The Eagles also have experience on the back line and players with athleticism to keep points alive. Senior Emily Coplan and junior Sophia Pandey will share the libero duties and sophomore Sasha Nierenberg and senior Evelina Kravets will support them as defensive specialists.

“Possibly the most important aspect of this team is their love of the game combined with a great work ethic and the tenacity to stay in the game regardless of the score,” said Sharon coach Andrea Lovett, who returns to the sidelines after being an assistant in 2021. “These kids simply love volleyball and it shows on the court.”

2022 Hockomock Volleyball Preview

Stoughton

2021 Record: 1-15
2021 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Felicia Baptista
Stoughton is coming off a difficult 2021 season. The Black Knights picked up just one win last fall, but they have several new faces that could step in and get the program heading back into tournament contention. It may be a smaller roster this season, but head coach Felicia Baptista believes the talent and attitude are right to get things kicked off.

Junior Maya Ashu will be one of the primary attacking threats for Stoughton this season. She will be a critical spot in the front row and has developed into a strong hitter. Junior hitter Annalia Eschleman is also back and will give Stoughton more athleticism. Senior Patrik Oliveira has been a standout on the back row and gives the Black Knights all-around play with his quickness and versatility.

Other players that could step into the starting lineup for Stoughton this season are sophomore Reagan Lewis and junior Alyssa Edwards. Both are strong athletes that will give the Black Knights more control of the middle of the net.

“This year our team is much smaller and much more prepared than in past seasons,” said Baptista. “They have been putting in lots of work this year and it shows right from day one.”

2022 Hockomock Volleyball Preview

Taunton

2021 Record: 8-14
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Round of 32
Coach: Toby Chaperon
Taunton boasts a strong group of seniors, and with the addition of some underclassmen and new additions to the program, the Tigers are looking for an improved campaign in 2022.

Senior middle Hayley Krockta will be a force at the net this season but can play at all spots on the court. She will be one of the best servers on the team and can step right in and pass like a defensive specialist. She’ll be swinging at sets off the fingertips of classmate Anna Abouzied, another returner for the Tigers. Abouzied is a terrific passer in the back row and will also run the offense as the setter.

“Hayley will be a force at the net this year,” said Taunton head coach Toby Chaperon. “And Anna can do it all too, she has the ability to hit and pass very well. We’re looking forward to having a good year.”

Senior Mia Fernandes will provide a boost of energy from the back row as the libero, flying all over the court to keep the play alive, and will be joined by classmate Megan Rose as a defensive specialist. Sayla DePina, another senior, will look to give Taunton some swings from the right side and set the block on opposing outside hitters. Rylie Roderick will add some depth at the net and at the service line for Taunton while head coach Toby Chaperon will look to incorporate transfers Morgan Fitzgerald (opposite/DS) and Julia Mitton (setter).

Juniors Jaden Sabina, Janelle Garcia, and Morgan Smith will all get some swings at the net while classmates Caroline Pietnik, Randi MacLeod, and Courtney Martin provide solid depth. Sophomore Adrianna Amaral has impressed early on this season and will get some swings at middle hitter while eighth grader Sadie Herry will be in the mix as a defensive specialist.