Warriors top Novans to remain unbeaten

WOONSOCKET — For the first time this season, the improved Central Falls volleyball team was tested.

Thanks to the serving of Mia Plasse and Hannah Moyen, Woonsocket battled back from an early five-point deficit to hand the Warriors their first dropped set of the season. While their response wasn’t always perfect over the next three sets, the Warriors left Savaria Gym with their victory of the season.

Setter Jacqueline Jimenez had eight assists, seven digs, three kills and five kills, while libero Jackie Morales had 40 digs to lead the Novans to a 20-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19 Division II victory over the Villa Novans.

“I don’t know if we ever got into this game, so I don’t think we ever really played the way we normally play,” said Central Falls coach Richard Sousa, who is just starting his second spell in charge of the program after leaving in 2015. “We played a little down, but we still got the win. All of the sloppy play was a little uncharacteristic. We didn’t have any flow and we just couldn’t pass, set and hit.

“Playing on the road is tough, so it was nice to pull out the victory. Give Woonsocket credit, because they were great on defense. We haven’t faced a team yet with that type of strong serving. They were consistent with putting their tough serves in. We haven’t seen that yet this season.”

Central Falls (3-0 Division II) built an 11-5 advantage in the fourth game and appeared to be cruising to a comfortable win to close out the match. Instead, the Novans battled back and took a 13-11 lead thanks to strong serving and solid defense. Sousa used both of his timeouts during the 8-0 run.

“We need to be mentally tough,” Sousa said. “These guys gave us some adversity and we didn’t handle it well. I was trying to break Woonsocket’s momentum with the timeouts, but I was also trying to get the kids to take charge. I told them, ‘I don’t have any timeouts left, you guys need to figure it out.’ I know they have it in them because I saw how fantastic they played against Pilgrim last week.”

Woonsocket (1-2 Division II) started a three-match homestand with Monday’s 3-1 defeat. The Novans allowed the Warriors to score the match’s first five points before Plasse and Moyen helped their team get back into the game. The Novans responded with a 7-0 to grabbed a two-point lead. Neither team led by more than four points until the final point of the set when the Novans finished off a 5-0 run to claim the set.

SAINTS WIN

PROVIDENCE — The St. Raphael girls volleyball team warmed up for Thursday’s Division III title rematch with a 29-27, 25-16, 20-25, 25-19 victory over Central at the Providence Career & Technical Academy Monday night.

Setter Maddie Nault led the way with 30 assists, four kills and two blocks, while junior Paige O’Brien chipped in with 10 kills, five aces and four blocks. Another player who played in the five-set defeat to the Vikings last November, Victoria Abegboyega chipped in with eight kills and team-high five blocks.

“Coming in, I wasn’t to sure what to expect because they lost three big pieces from last year,” first-year St. Raphael coach Cory Linhares said. “I told these girls it’s their turn now. How were they going to respond this year after not finishing the job last year. The big thing for the [2019 Division III champion] guys team was energy and being relentless. I’m slowly working that into them.”