‘All out’ Ipswich eyes Division 4 three-peat
Ipswich is the two-time defending Division 4 girls’ volleyball champion. Four matches into this season, the determined Tigers already have a postseason mind-set: “all out, all game, all season.”
On Tuesday night, Ipswich (4-0), ranked seventh in this week’s Globe Top 20, swept through Cape Ann League rival Hamilton-Wenham (25-18, 25-5, 25-18), which had been dealt its first loss the previous night against Essex Tech.
Coach Staci Lawrence believes the strength was in the service, and that her players are dependable on the line.
“In that first set, we weren’t playing in rhythm, we weren’t playing consistently, and I thought being able to go in and really, truly make a statement and to win Set 2 with a score of 25-5, it was awesome,” Lawrence said. “I think that came down to our aggressive serving; we basically served them off the court.”
Emily Hannibal and Claire Buletza each had service runs eclipsing six points, and the team’s service accuracy for the third set was 92 percent. When the Generals were able to return the ball, their offense was sending over mostly free balls, giving the Tiger offense the opportunity to move in for the kill.
Senior setter Tess O’Flynn, who eclipsed 500 career assists in the match, is a key component of the attack. Taking on the captaincy is a new role, but she still has a very team-focused mentality.
“As a team, we focus on taking things one step at a time. During a game, we aren’t worried about anything but that very point, and this allows us to stay engaged the whole game,” O’Flynn said.
Though the graduation of outside hitter Grace Sorensen, the Globe’s 2022 Division 4 Girls’ Volleyball Athlete of the Year, left a void, Lawrence is confident that her group can still compete at the same level.
“Every team feels a loss. Once the senior class graduates, we definitely miss the energy. Claire [Buletza] is doing a great job stepping into those shoes,” Lawrence said.
Buletza, a junior outside hitter with varsity experience, has already recorded 43 kills in four games.
“I can only imagine the pressure she feels, but I think she’s doing great,” said Lawrence. “She’s doing it in her own way.”
Pressure is inescapable for any team seeking a three-peat, and Lawrence said the best thing that the Tigers can do is acknowledge the expectations.
“The kids feel it,” she said. “I have people talking to me around town about it. We recognize it and we know it’s there, but we’re going to focus on taking our season one game at a time, one point at a time. And I think that’s really, really key for us, so that we don’t get overwhelmed with that expectation.”
Set points
R Momentum is gaining in the Hockomock League, with 17th rankeed Canton unbeaten through five matches, all sweeps. On Friday, they’ll take on No. 2 Franklin (5-0).
“The top of the league is very tight,” said Canton coach Pam Cawley. “We’re trying to establish that we belong in that group this year, and hopefully when we start meeting those teams, we’ll put up a good fight and we feel that we can do that this year.”
Cawley has placed a big emphasis on one approach as the Bulldogs take on more challenging matches.
“We talk a lot about the mental part of the game, and I think that is where we’re a lot stronger this season than we were last season,” Cawley said.
The physical prowess is not to be ignored either, with senior captain Jess Wright (68 kills across 5 matches) on the outside and freshman libero Soley Rodriguez Martinez in the back row.
“[Rodriguez Martinez] has really stepped up on the court. I think she’s raised the play of everyone around her, and she really knows the game,” Cawley said.
R No. 5 Dartmouth (5-0) has come out strong, carrying momentum from last season’s run to the Division 2 semifinals, a 3-0 loss to Westborough.
Coach Rachel Lassey has an experienced roster with eight returning seniors.
“That’s a really big help to have a bunch of veterans out there that have gone through the roller coaster of emotions of wins, losses, and challenges,” said Lassey. “They’re calm under pressure right now, and I’m hoping that’s going to continue moving forward.”
The team has registered nonleague sweeps against No. 12 North Quincy (4-3) and Old Rochester (4-2), and will face tough opponents in Oliver Ames (3-2) Friday and No. 4 Barnstable (5-1) next Thursday.
Senior setter Alaina Strozik has been instrumental in Dartmouth’s success. Strozik has previous varsity experience, but this is her first season in the starting six.
“She’s been eager and ready, she’s waited her turn, she’s paid her dues,” Lassey said. “Unfortunately, she’s only getting one year out of it, but she’s doing a really, really nice job. She’s exceeded my expectations.”