The volleyball team had a rough start to the season as losing they lost their first three games. It was unclear if the Rebels would be able to make the tournament because a team had to have nine wins in order to qualify for the state tournament. But after turning around their season, the Rebels entered the Milton game on October 21 with eight wins and were determined to clinch their spot in tournament -which they did in an intense 3-0 win.
As the first game began, it was clear that the Rebels had come to play. With great serves, hits, sets, and blocks, the Rebels were all on their ‘A’ game. Milton continually messed up plays, and Walpole quickly gained a big lead. Juniors Emily Rothenberg and Steph Barmakian had fantastic games with solid sets, hits, and serves. Seniors Genna Swanson and Shannon Cullen earned many points with their tremendous power and dynamic hits and serves. With a combination of Walpole’s defense, skill, and determination, Milton could hardly get a point in. The game ended in a win for Walpole at 25-8.
The Rebels came into the second game with their spirits high, eager to win the game. Barmakian had another great game all around, and freshman Summer King wowed the fans with amazing defense in the front row. Junior libero Lauren Bodin added to Walpole’s fire, but the second game was closer than first game. When Walpole was ahead 23-20 and the pressure was on the them, the Rebels kept the ball in control and managed to take the win at 25-20.
Game three was all Walpole from the start and their determination to make tournament was obvious in their plays. Swanson had amazing hits and great reflexes, quickly returning the ball to Milton’s side of the court. With Barmakian serving, the Rebels got 6 points before Milton even scored one point. King continued her stunning defense, and Bodin had good serves and saved plays. On the rare occasion when Milton got the serve, Walpole quickly answered. By the time the score was 20-11, the Rebels were too far ahead for any chance of a Milton comeback. Cullen served the last few points, ending it at a 25-12 win. Once they scored the last point, the rest of the Rebels joined their team on the court to celebrate making the state tournament after a great win against Milton.
The week before the tournament, the Rebels were untouchable. Not only did they have a shutout game against Milton, but they also won 3-0 on their Monday and Wednesday games. On making tournament, Junior Kelly Esty said, “It feels amazing, all of our hard work has paid off.” But the season is not over yet, as senior Captain Genna Swanson said, “We’re glad we made it but we still have a lot to improve on, and we still want to win the next three games.” With the last few games coming up, the Rebels want to end the season with more wins, especially after the big victory over the Milton Wildcats that finalized their spot in Herget Division.
