Led by head coach Lisa Cyr, along with senior Captains Summer King, Morgan McLenan, and Jessica Jones, Walpole Rebels Girls Volleyball are currently 2-3 with victories over Wellesley and Needham, and losses to Newton North, Natick, Brookline. With eight seniors returning to the varsity team, the team hopes to rely on their postseason experience from last year to guide them throughout the season.
After making it to the third round of the state tournament in 2013 (the farthest the Rebels have made it in recent years), the season ended in Barnstable against the top seeded team in the state. “We held our own against Barnstable, and we’ve set the bar high for ourselves this year,” said King.
In their first match on September 2, they faced the 2013 Bay State League Champions Newton North. “Facing off against Newton North for the first game of the season is always a challenge,” King said. Although Walpole won the first set 26-24 against Newton North, Newton North adjusted their strategy and swept the next 3 games in a row. King led the team with 10 kills and 3 blocks in the team’s first regular season game.
To combat the two solid front row players on Newton North’s side, the Rebels also relied heavily on Walpole’s libero, Senior Natalie Lydon. Lydon totaled 33 receptions and 16 digs throughout the whole game. “She aggressively pursued every ball and did not back down against Newton North’s strong attack” said Cyr.
Similar to Newton North, the Rebels fell into the same pattern on September 5 against Brookline. After winning the first set 25-23, Walpole lost their momentum and Brookline took the next 3 sets to win the game. “We needed more intensity and communication on the court against Brookline, so we’ve really been focusing on that in practice,” said McLenan, who totaled 7 kills.
The Rebels defeated Needham High School to earn their first win of the season on Tuesday, September 9. “We had great practices in the last few days and our hard work showed on the court against Needham.” Walpole swept the first three sets in a row to win the match. Jones, Walpole’s setters, led momentum on the court with 100% accuracy serving with two aces. Along with prominent serving, Jones tallied 15 assists and 7 digs. King also added a team high of 14 kills to put the Rebels on top against Needham.
Despite the return of experienced seniors, a few new faces have also seen some court-time this season. Rookie sophomore Camryn Field held her own in the match against Brookline with a 90% serving average and 4 digs. “She brought enthusiasm to the court during a stressful game and played to win,” Cyr said. With a solid combination of seniors and underclassmen, Walpole dismissed feelings of discouragement coming from the outcomes of their first two matches.
In their most victory over Wellesley, two new faces emerged as key to the Rebel victory: rookie junior Erin Reilly and rookie junior Kirstin Barber. Reilly proved her own as a defensive specialist by getting seven digs, while Barber added more height to the front row by pitching in four kills. Against Wellesley, Lydon also closed out the final set with 14 consecutive serves and 5 aces.
In both of the opening game losses, the Rebels proved they can play with the best the Bay State has to offer by winning the opening sets; however, the Rebels have not made those mid-game adjustments to close out to win a second a set. If they are going to make an impact in the tournament this year, they will need the right chemistry with the reliable play of Lydon, the tall commanding front row of King and company, and the support of the rookie role-players.
