Southwick’s Anna Picard forearms the return during Monday night’s game against Pioneer Valley Christian School at the First Baptist Church in East Longmeadow. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
EAST LONGMEADOW – The Southwick-Tolland Regional High School girls’ volleyball team apparently is not looking for an early dismissal.
Southwick staved off elimination from a postseason bid by defeating Pioneer Valley Christian School 3-0 Monday night at First Baptist Church. The Rams improved to 9-10 with a 25-14, 25-23, 25-14 victory.
“Our chemistry is better; our passing is better,” said Southwick coach Kevin Pender. “The cold conditions were definitely a new challenge to overcome.”
Pender was referring to an unheated gymnasium at the church, but the Rams heated up the court with solid play.
“We were able to raise it up and execute our system,” coach Pender said. “We had a game plan and stuck to it.”
In the opening game, the two teams were tied early before Southwick went on a 6-0 run with Hannah Sitler serving to take an 11-5 lead. Later on in the set, Sitler delivered consecutive aces to help the Rams pull away.
The second frame was a dogfight, a downright thriller.
Southwick raced out to a 7-2 lead before PVCS rallied to force an 8-8 tie. PVCS put together a five-point lead late. With Hannah Dziadzio serving, the Rams stormed back. An ace from Dziadzio knotted the game 20-all.
PVCS reclaimed a 2-point lead, 22-20, but Millan Andreoli delivered a kill. One more point later, the game was tied 22-22. Southwick took a one-point lead, but then a service error resulted in another tie, 23-23.
Southwick’s Anna Pickard put a soft touch on a smackdown, and Jackie Maziarz’s ace sealed a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.
In the final set, Sitler’s kill midway through set the tone. Southwick pulled away easily.
Sitler finished with eight aces. Jess Martin collected 22 aces for Southwick, and Andreoli had two aces and six kills. Sophomore Destiny Myette had her first breakout game for the Rams as well.
Southwick, which has just one game remaining in the regular season, will now earn a playoff berth if it can upset Central at home Tuesday evening.
Notes: Pioneer Valley Christian School played the entire game with one sub, who briefly entered to serve.
