Westfield High School’s John Bucko, rear, leaps for the block as a pair of Athol High School players attack. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – The Westfield High School boys’ volleyball might have been slow out the gate at home against Athol Monday, but the Bombers soared at the end.
Westfield scraped together a two-point victory in the first set en route to a 26-24, 25-18, 25-21 win over Athol.
It was a back and forth first set.
“We were pretty fortunate to take (that first set),” Westfield coach Tyler Wingate said. “We were a little sloppier than I would have liked, but we ended up winning that close set. It was a little bit of a wake-up call for our guys to be a little bit sharper and more on top of things.”
The Bombers (3-1) claimed a seven-point win in the middle frame.
“Our efficiency on offense increased, we started to get some more digs on defense, and our overall play was a little bit better,” coach Wingate said.
The third set was a bit closer, but it was the same outcome.
“It was a good test for us,” Wingate said. “(Athol’s) a great defensive team. They frustrated us at times but we ended up with a pretty solid effort in those second and third sets to close it out.”
Several players helped spur Westfield’s victory, including John Bucko (14 kills, 3 blocks), Chris Paradis (36 assists), Eric Shilyuk (11 kills, 6 digs), and Ivan Zuev (22 digs).
Notes: At every home game this season, the Westfield boys’ volleyball team will be collecting donations to benefit the local Food Bank. Every member of the team is also doing volunteer work at the Food Bank throughout the course of the high school spring season.
