The Middlesex Varsity Volleyball team hosted Thayer Academy on a drizzly Family Weekend, during which they honored senior Antonia Baylor '22, who was playing her last regular season home game, and the team completed a sweep, winning in straight sets with contributions from the entire squad. During the match, libero Romy Ahn '23 also notched her 200th dig of the season.
The first set opened with a service run by setter and co-captain Sofia Dickinson '22. Thayer returned her serve as a free ball, which Romy easily passed to Sofia, who set up the first kill of the match by Julie Chen '23 from the outside. In the same service run, middle and co-captain Morgan Clapp '22 and right side Annabelle Lerner '23 had a big double block that led to an error by Thayer Academy, extending the Middlesex lead. When the Zebras lost the serve, defensive specialist Antonia Baylor '22 held down the back row, sending a perfect pass to Sofia who set up the kill by Annabelle for the immediate sideout. Outside hitter Sydney Feeney '22 notched the next kill for the Zebras, as the solid defense allowed Sofia to mix up the offense and keep the Tigers off balance. Sydney was the next to score a long service run for Middlesex, and her consistent serve allowed the Zebras to move ahead to an 11-point lead. During her run, Sofia set up a kill by middle Parker Boyden '23, and also scored two kills of her own assisted by setter Caroline Cervini '23. The first set concluded during Julie's serve, with another kill by Sydney, ending 25-11, Middlesex.
The second set again opened with a perfect serve receive by Antonia, allowing Sofia to set up a kill by right side Anna Buell '22 for the first-serve sideout. Caroline continued to mix up the offense, assisting a kill by Romy from the back row for another sideout. Another key sideout came when Morgan and right side Sadie Goodwin '23 were there for a big double block of the Tigers' outside hitter, and the second set ended 25-17, Middlesex.
The third set was fairly even to start: Thayer was determined to avoid the sweep, and fought hard, showing their grit and resilience with some longer rallies. Outside hitter Charlotte Heafey '25 stepped back to the service line with only a one-point lead, and her run, which included four consecutive aces, allowed the Zebras to pull ahead. The next server for the Tigers, though, put together a long run for Thayer, allowing them to overtake and pull just ahead. Solid play by the whole team, though, allowed Middlesex to come back and then retake the lead in the final third of the set, and with the score tied at 20-20, Romy stepped to the service line. Romy's deep serve put Thayer off balance, and they were unable to create an effective hit to start, and took a timeout to regroup. With the score at 21-20, they returned her serve as a free ball, which Julie passed to Sofia, who set up a kill from the middle by Devon Coyle '24. The next serve was attacked, but Julie was again there for the dig, allowing Sofia to set up a crushing kill by right side Marissa Fadely '22. An ace by Romy then put the score at match point, 24-20, before Thayer earned the sideout. Romy received their final serve, and Sofia set it to the outside for the final kill by Charlotte, ending the third set 25-21, Middlesex.
Middlesex, now 9-3 (6-3 ISL), looks ahead to a well-deserved long weekend and a shorter week of training before traveling to Brookline, Mass. for an afternoon match against Dexter Southfield on Friday November 5.
