QUINCY – Despite some strong pushback from hosting Quincy, Duxbury volleyball was able to claim a 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 25-23) Patriot League victory to keep its perfect season alive.
The Dragons (19-0) were playing their fifth match in six days and had some lineup changes due to this game frequency. Head coach Stacy Hampton said this contributed to some mistakes but that she was happy with her team’s effort.
“It wasn’t our best night but I am proud of the kids,” Hampton said. “We’ve been a team all season that steps up when we need them and they did that tonight. We came away with a win, so that’s great.”
Some lineup changes included increased opportunities for some underclassmen, including freshman libero Ella Towse and sophomore outside hitter Laila Bacharz. Towse subbed in for Ashlyn Upham and said she was excited for the opportunity to prove herself.
“I have gone in for Ashlyn before earlier in the season but that was a short time,” Towse said. “When you’re sitting on the bench a lot, it’s a lot of weight off your back when you do go in and play well. I was excited.”
Bacharz said she did feel some nerves but brushed them aside so she could seize the moment.
“I felt nervous but I knew I had done it before,” Bacharz said. “I can’t have those thoughts and I played really hard.”
The Presidents (9-9) jumped out to a quick lead in the opening set and looked to have control at 6-3. However, Duxbury rallied to take an 8-7 lead in the set eventually and never relinquished it en route to the 25-20 win. Hampton said the new grouping had to figure out some chemistry but eventually found a rhythym.
“We have a core group that’s very strong but we have a lot of depth,” Hampton said. “We have a lot of younger kids and they stepped up today. Sometimes the chemistry can get off for a bit but they worked together and got it done.
This carried into the second set as the Dragons seized a 2-1 lead and rallied to take the set dominantly, 25-14. The third set was more even and Quincy even had a golden opportunity to force a fourth set when it led 22-20.
However, the Dragons’ regrouped after a timeout and fought to a 25-23 victory to clinch the match.
“It’s a testament to our mental strength this year,” Hampton said. “We’ve really been working on that. In moments where we really need to execute, our team does a really good job at executing.”
Duxbury has one game remaining in the regular season before it embarks on the Div. 2 tournament. The Dragons are currently the top-ranked team in the division and Bacharz said the team’s closeness is the key.
“A big reason we have come so far this year is our team bonding,” Bacharz said. “We have really come together as a family. We have beat so many teams that are so good but we are just a full family.”
