WAREHAM – Carver stayed unbeaten on Tuesday night when it faced a tough Wareham volleyball team at the Jim Brogioli Court. The Crusaders (7-0) took it in four sets (20-25, 25-13, 25-21, 25-12), winning the last three after the Vikings took the opening set.
It was neck and neck throughout the first set until Wareham (7-2) went on a 5-1 run, giving the Vikings a 19-14 lead. After a timeout, the Crusaders went on a five-point streak, tying the game at 19, but Wareham was able to keep up on a steady pace as they took the first set on a 6-1 run, winning it 25-20.
“Our philosophy is always we just play one point in front of us,” Carver head coach Morgan Bardetti said. “You’ve got to shake off past mistakes and you’ve got to shake off the past victories, because it’s only the one in front of us that matters.”
Carver started the second set on a hot streak as they scored six straight points to start the frame. Wareham scored 12 of the next 18 points to bring the set to a 12-12 tie. That momentum would not last long for the Vikings, as the Crusaders ended the set on a 13-1 run, which included eight consecutive points, as Josie Helms put it away with the final point on a kill.
Wareham started the third set strong, scoring three out of the first four points, but the Crusaders were able to jump out to a 9-1 run. Then, Wareham was able to cut it back to within one point on a long run by captain Andrew Harty, which led to a kill on the play.
The teams were back and forth before Carver took a 22-21 lead and moved on to score the final five points of the set 25-21.
In a similar fashion to the second set, Carver dominated the fourth set, jumping out to a 9-2 run after the final timeout of the game, and won the set 25-12 to take the match 3-1
Maeve Zakzewski had 12 blocks, 11 kills, and one ace for the Crusaders. Emma Wall seconded on the kills with 10, and Grace Highland had 15 digs.
For the Vikings, Olivia LaCarva had 14 assists, two aces, and 10 digs. Mackenzie Via-Kashne led with seven kills, and Priscilla Ross had 34 digs. Harty added 26 digs, two aces, and an assist.
Following the game, Bardetti said her team is feeling confident and hoping to capitalize on the momentum.
“The girls are really on a roll, and they have really great energy they’re bringing every set,” Bardetti said. “So, we’re just gonna keep rolling with it.”
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