THE WARRIORS celebrate a kill by senior captain Carlee Graham (left). Also pictured is Meredith Morris (8), Paige Butland (10), senior captain Christa Imbriano (25), Lea Carangelo (18) amd Emily Herson (5). (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield High volleyball team’s four-game winning streak was snapped by Belmont 3-0 last night at the Charbonneau Field House.
The Warriors, who started the season 1-8 against a brutal schedule, have bounced back and are looking to finish strong in their final five matches.
Wakefield beat Swampscott 3-1 on Sept. 30 and Stoneham 3-0 on Oct. 6. Their most exciting wins during their streak came in five-set thrillers, 3-2 over Watertown on Friday night and 3-2 over Reading on Oct. 3, both at home.
The win over the Div. 2 Rockets, who are currently ranked to make the state tournament at No. 26, was especially impressive and served as proof to an up-and-coming Wakefield group that they could compete with anyone.
The Warriors set the tone in the first with a 25-17 win. Reading came back to win the second set 25-19 but the Warriors responded with a big 25-18 set three victory.
After Reading held on 25-20 in set four to force a fifth, the Warriors stayed in front to win it 15-9.
Wakefield winning the first set was key. Senior captains Christa Imbriano and Carlee Graham both had three kills in the set while junior Lea Carangelo picked up five assists. Junior Savanah Cummings had two aces and a kill.
A deep, no-look shot from Imbriano ended the longest rally of the set with the score at 15-13 Wakefield.
One of the most impressive points of the first came with Wakefield up 23-17 but Reading sparking a comeback. After a block from Carangelo, Graham kept the ball in play back to Carangelo who timed a pass right back to Graham for an emphatic kill in the middle.
Of course, the back and forth match hinged on the fifth and final set.
SAVANNAH CUMMINGS follows through on a kill at the net for Wakefield in a game against Belmont last night. Cummings, a junior, has been a force in the middle for the Warriors this season. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
An Imbriano ace gave the Warriors a 2-1 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.
A backwards pass from Carangelo to Cummings made it 4-3 and a Forti kill later made it 7-4. Trailing 9-5, the Rockets responded to a timeout by rattling off four in a row. Wakefield got the final five points in a row to seal it up thanks in large part to the serving of Paige Butland who had an ace and kill in the run to end it.
Against Watertown, Wakefield cruised in the first set 25-9 and took set two 25-19.
The Raiders proved their mettle by bouncing back to win a tense set three, 25-23.
Wakefield was in control throughout much of the fourth but Watertown forced overtime. The Warriors had a chance to finish it up multiple times but the Raiders were persistent eventually winning a wild one, 31-29.
The fifth belonged to Wakefield who leaned on their senior captains once again. Mia Forti had four kills in the set including the final point. Imbriano started the fifth with two aces and three kills in a row from Forti on the outside gave the home team a strong 5-1 lead.
Although Watertown stuck with it, Cummings had a couple nice kills in the middle as Carangelo continued to set up her teammates well and Butland came up clutch on multiple diving digs along with a cut shot kill to maintain control as Wakefield won it 15-10 in front of an excited Red Sea student section dressed in pink.
The Warriors travel to one of the best in the state tomorrow night when they will meet Winchester (10-2) at 5:15 p.m. Wakefield then hosts Wilmington on Oct. 19 for their final home match of the season at 6:30 p.m.
