by Adam Rabinowitz
As defending state champions, girls’ volleyball will be the team to beat this year in the Bay State Conference. With a 8-0 record, the Tigers are not letting the pressure get to them and are playing at a great pace.
According to senior Sophie Tavolieri, a captain with the rest of the team’s seniors, chemistry has been the key to the Tigers’ success.
“The team this year has both new and returning players but the team chemistry we have is so powerful and effective that we achieve success,” she said.
The Tigers lost many team leaders to graduation last year, but senior Andie Buenaventura says that the rest of the team has been stepping up to fill the holes created.
“We have strong returning players who are really stepping it up this season. The team has really bonded and played well so far, and we’re hoping to go all the way to States again this year and keep our status as defending state champs,” she said.
Tavolieri similarly said that the new lineup is working well together and performing well.
“We have been able to adjust and start fresh, but as a team, we work just as hard and want to win the title just as much as [last year’s team] did,” she said.
The Tigers beat Natick Tuesday, who came into the match undefeated. According to Tavolieri, Natick came in having only lost one set all season while the Tigers had lost two. She said that the Tigers came into the match with right mindset and played hard.
“The way we played [Tuesday] and how we’ve been practicing all paid off because we broke their perfect record of 6-0 to 6-1 and we look forward to keeping our record solid,” she said.
The Tigers will face Braintree away Tuesday, Oct. 6.