BILLERICA — First-year Hopedale coach Gary Patch knew it was going to take a little time for his new players to buy into the system he was preaching. On Saturday at Billerica High, the Raiders finished the season in the most perfect way possible.
Strong defense, stellar serving and consistency at the net were all on display by the top seed in Division 5 as they swept past No. 7 Smith Tech, 25-11, 25–16 and 25-23 to take the program’s first state title.
“We knew it would take some games for the players to buy into what our system was and that it would take some time. Fortunately, they did that,” Patch said.
Hopedale’s (19-6) front line of Phoebe Carroll, Savannah Sene and Mackenzie Viens gave the Smith Tech blockers fits all evening.
Nerves also did in the Vikings (17-4) in the early going as game one quickly spiraled from a 6-6 tie to a 25-11 Hopedale win. Highlighting the run was five consecutive aces by Amelia Barrose.
Game two started off in nearly the same fashion as unforced errors by Smith Tech combined with dominant hitting at the net from the Raiders led to a 12-4 lead early. The lead eventually grew to 10 at 22-12 before the Vikings seemed to snap out of their funk in time for game three.
“We value every rotation because each one of them gives us different opportunities,” Patch said.
And thoughts that Hopedale would roll to its sweep were quickly dashed when the Vikings scored the first four points of game three en route to a 6-2 lead.
Hopedale then responded to tie things up as a back and forth battle was about to begin.
The Vikings took a 14-11 lead on Leah Franklin’s kill before Hopedale scored the next four. The teams would trade the lead back and forth with Smith leading 21-19 and looking like they’d extend things to a fourth set.
But a pair of hitting errors and an ace from Barrose forced a Vikings timeout at 22-21. Following a Franklin block, Carroll spiked one home and Daisy Everett delivered an ace to set up match point. Fittingly, it was Carroll that delivered on the championship point.
