Westfield head coach Tyler Wingate, far left, watches while Shane Kiendzior (18) attempts to tip the ball past the outstretched arms of Needham’s Brendan Lumbardi. (Photo by Chris Putz)
WELLESLEY – Maybe the third time will be a charm.
The two-time defending Western Massachusetts champion Westfield Bombers were stopped short of a state finals berth for the second straight season, losing to the Needham Rockets, 15-25, 17-25, 25-22, 15-25 Friday night in a state semifinal at Wellesley High School.
Needham rocketed to a 2-set lead, and held off a late rally from Westfield.
“(Needham) didn’t make too many mistakes,” Westfield head coach Tyler Wingate said. “They have good blockers, and their libero, Simon Shulman, is really good.”
Needham came out with a purpose, striking for a 5-0 lead and eight of the contest’s first nine points.
Westfield made a mini-rally pulling within four points of a tie, 11-7, before falling behind by a large deficit. The Bombers failed to recover.
In the second set, Westfield managed to set the tone from the outset, much like it did in the Western Massachusetts championship against Central with the first point. The Bombers fought valiantly, keeping the game tight early with a 5-5 tie.
Needham responded with a vengeance though. Just when Westfield appeared to land a kill, tap the ball to an empty spot on the court, or sneak an ace just inside the sideline or end line, a Rockets player appeared out of nowhere to save his team.
“That’s the difference at this level,” coach Wingate said. “In Western Mass (tournament), those are points. Those are points we need to get.”
In true Bombers’ fashion though – staring down an eight-point loss in the second set and a 2-sets-to-none deficit, Westfield arrived.
Westfield’s Igor Belokopytov (10) serves the ball. (Photo by Chris Putz)
Whether it was bus lag or what-have-you, Westfield looked uncharacteristically slow during the first two sets. Needham looked sharp. But in that third set, the Bombers put together a thing of beauty. Westfield made the correct adjustments and rallied to tie Needham at 3, 4, 7, 8, 15, and 16 before finally putting some distance between them and the Rockets.
Both teams combined for 11 straight side outs until Westfield took control. The Bombers maintained a 1-3 point lead through the last third of the set, and posted a three-point victory.
Igor Belokopytov (13 kills), Eddie Loboda (8 kills), Noah Kappel (8 kills), Scott Walsh (35 assists), and Tyler Stanton (22 digs) played a huge role in that win.
With a long bus trip and an extended effort in that third set, Westfield appeared to be running on fumes.
Needham rocketed to a quick 15-8 lead, forcing a Westfield time out. The Bombers continued to fight back but could not string together a big enough of a run to overtake the southern champ.
The 2016 run was over.
“To get back here with a completely new team was a challenge,” Wingate said. “It says a lot about the guys who stepped up. They didn’t necessarily care what people were saying.”
Wingate said seniors Belokopytov and Andrew Burrage were instrumental in fueling a repeat Western Mass championship.
“I’m really happy with the contributions from the seniors,” Wingate said, “but I expect guys to fill those roles – the ones who put in the work this offseason. We’re going to try to make another run for it. There are expectations now. The target is squarely on our back.”
That may be true, but Westfield will be the one seeking to hit another bulls-eye.
The Westfield Bombers stand for the national anthem prior to their Division 1 state semifinal game Friday night against the Needham Rockets. (Photo by Chris Putz)
