The Middlesex Varsity Volleyball squad traveled to Marion, Mass. for a midweek contest against Tabor Academy in their first ISL competition of the season, and came home with the win in straight sets.
Highlights of the first set included a pair of aces by the Zebras' first server, setter Sophia Poplyk '21. The next server, captain and outside hitter Hadley Jevon '19, had another good service run that forced Tabor to take their first timeout. Middlesex continued to dominate at the serve, when middle hitter Natalie McCall rotated back to serve and immediately dished up a pair of aces. On the next play, opposite Grace Chamberlain '19 had a great defensive pick-up, allowing Poplyk to set up a kill by outside hitter Mayu Lee '20. Libero Sevilla Jin '21, too, aced her first serve; then, on the next play, stepped in to make a great pass to set up a kill by Poplyk. With the score at 19-9, Tabor took their second time out. Several plays later, McCall rotated back to the serve and again served up a pair of aces to bring the score to 23-14. A great attack by middle Kiley Briand '20 brought the score to set point, and Middlesex earned the sideout to end the first set 25-17.
In the second set, McCall notched the first kill off of a great dig by Hadley to Poplyk, who assisted the kill from the middle. The beginning of the set was dominated by work at the net by Kiley, who scored several kills assisted by setter Sofia Dickinson '22. Kiley also scored a block kill, assisted by Mayu, of an overpass by Tabor. Kiley earned an assist when Sofia picked up a dig-- Kiley stepped in to set up the kill by Mayu to earn a sideout. The middle of the set featured a great service run by Poplyk, which included three aces and a long rally that ended with a dig by defensive specialist Angela Bi '21 to Poplyk who set up the kill by McCall. McCall then killed an overpass by Tabor to put the score at set point, and the second set ended 25-18.
Tabor came out determined to extend the match in the third set, and the scoreline stayed even through most of the set, with Middlesex maintaining a lead of just a few points. Natalie McCall again scored the first kill in the third set, with a great pass by Hadley to Sofia for the assist. The middle of the set again featured strong work at the net by Kiley, as Sofia set up a pair of kills off of great digs by Mayu and by Hadley. A big highlight of the end of the set was a great receive by Hadley to Poplyk, who set up a kill from the back row by Sevilla. A few points later, opposite Maggie Chamberlain '19 killed an overpass for a big sideout to put the score at 24-22, and an aced serve by Mayu ended the third set 25-22.
The varsity volleyball team looks forward to their next ISL contest this Saturday, September 29 at Milton Academy.
