Girls’ volleyball heads to the state finals for the fifth time in a row, clearing Central Catholic in a 3-0 Final Four sweep Wednesday, Nov. 12 at Burlington High School.
“It’s literally unbelievable, the success that they’ve had,” said Athletic Director Mike Jackson.
The Tigers were seeded second in the MIAA Tournament and had just come out of a sweep of seventh-seeded Winchester. Central Catholic, the number six school in the state this year, defeated No. 14 Wellesley for a spot at the Final Four. The two teams had not faced off against each other yet this season.
The first set was a showcase of North’s dominance and playoff abilities. The team brought high intensity and energy to the court, according to head coach Nile Fox, which set the tone for the rest of the game. North won the set 25-10, capitalizing on Central Catholic’s weaker serves and slower movement.
According to senior Alayna O’Connell, a captain along with junior Sasha Selivan and senior Charlotte Pernisie, the team’s greatest strength in this particular matchup was being able to play at a consistently high level.
“If the team is not as competitive as us, we usually tend to get down a lot and play down to the team, but today we really didn’t,” O’Connell said.
O’Connell also commended the team for its determination and unity throughout the game. “I feel like all of us individually played together and for each other,” she added. “Everybody had the same drive. We all had the same goal, and we executed all together as a team.”
Although the teams began the second set in a stalemate sharing individual points, North managed to propel itself into a commanding lead in the later points of the set. With a tip over the net by freshman Pepper Johnson, the Tigers ended the set 25-17. Despite a lack of experience with playoff pressure, Johnson was a key player for the Tigers, dominating the court with multiple kills.
The third set started out rocky for the Tigers, who let Central Catholic put together an early lead with a few missed serves and missteps.
“It probably wasn’t our best show,” said Fox. “They had a lead on us. It was not a good cushion. And we just really wanted to push to get that set, wanted to win.”
After a timeout in the middle of the set, the Tigers made the adjustments to put themselves back on track. They propelled into the lead, winning ten of the last 12 points of the game and achieving a 25-21 victory over Central Catholic in the third set.
This Saturday, Nov. 15 at Billerica Memorial, North will have the chance to win its fourth consecutive state title as the team faces off against Franklin. This will be a game that is both familiar to North and foreign to its opponent, who has never made it this far in the tournament. No player on the Tigers’ 2025 team has left the tournament early or without a win.
Fox said that he has confidence in the team performing well in its upcoming game. “The strategy is being consistent,” said Fox. “I feel like if we come out consistent, we play Newton North volleyball, we’ll be just fine in the finals.”
