Published April 21, 2021
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
LYNNFIELD — The only word we’re sure of is: Champions.
The Lynnfield High volleyball team beat North Reading in the Cape Ann League championship game at LHS on April 16 3-0, bringing an end to what will surely go down as the strangest volleyball season in CAL history. The Pioneers built on their regular season title by sweeping both of their matches in the playoffs and finishing with a total record of 12-1.
“We always talk about the numbers on the banner and about these seniors leaving their lasting mark,” said head coach Brent Ashley. “We’ve built this culture where the underclassmen have to look at what the seniors have done before them and the seniors before that. Today was a special moment for these seniors to just remind them that even in a weird time with a shorter season, they can still leave a huge impact on this program.”
Stepping off the court with a victory in your final game is rare. Getting to do that in front of friends and family is even sweeter, especially during a season in which the Pioneers had to create their own energy with the league’s policy of no fans at indoor events. That policy changed for playoff games, and although these seniors have a multitude of state tournament experience in front of much larger crowds in years past, it was a moment that captain Ava Buonfiglio, captain Daniella Colarusso, Jillian Babine, Olivia Murphy and Vanessa Torosian won’t soon forget.
“When the team and the crowd are cheering together – its a big part of the sport so it was nice to be able to have fans here for the last couple of games,” said Buonfiglio.
That crowd pushed the Pioneers on through a back-and-forth set one victory, especially when the Hornets put the pressure on to tie it at 18 after trailing by four moments earlier. Colarusso (3 aces, 16 digs, 2 assists) regained the lead with a service point but North Reading continued to tie it and force the Pioneers to come up with clutch kills which they got from Ella Gizmunt (13 kills, 4 aces, 6 digs) and Buonfiglio (7 kills, 1 aces, 1 block, 5 digs) ultimately taking the set 25-22.
The second set was close as well, with the two teams trading leads seven times before the Pioneers gained control for good on a 5-0 run that turned a 12-11 deficit into a 16-12 lead thanks to a serving run by junior Sarah Foley (3 aces, 15 assists, 3 digs). North Reading fought back to tie it at 16 but two Hornet errors and a Gizmunt ace reclaimed the lead before a clutch kill from Babine (5 kills, 2 aces, 13 digs) after a good rally forced an NR timeout with the Pioneer lead at 20-16 eventually turning into a 25-19 set two win for Lynnfield.
“I flipped my rotations around to give North Reading’s Anna Bryk a bigger block,” said Ashley. “That, combined with the fans – we had butterflies; when was the last time that happened?”
The Pioneers always found a way to shake those championship jitters in the biggest of moments, none bigger than the third set when the Hornets overcame an early 7-1 Lynnfield lead eventually going up 18-14 to seemingly force a fourth set. Gizmunt got Lynnfield back into it with four kills and an ace but the Hornets took a 23-22 lead after an error, setting up a tense finish. A Murphy (5 kills) spike tied it up, an error gave Lynnfield the lead and a Babine dig, Foley set and Murphy spike finished up the final set with a 25-23 score.
“They’re exhausted,” said Ashley. “For them to fight through that and pull it out – it was cool for the underclassmen to see how brave they were in those last couple of points coming from behind.”
Lynnfield’s volleyball class of 2021 didn’t get the full opportunities they deserved but they stuck together during a difficult year of postponements and uncertainty. A CAL tournament championship on their home court was a special moment earned.
“It was tough at the beginning but we all work so well together and we got to know each other better throughout the year,” said Colarusso. “It was a fun season.”
“The season was so fast,” said Ashley. “I told my seniors, you’re going to blink and miss it. You have to take every moment for what it’s worth.”
For what it’s worth, the 2020-21 LHS volleyball team will always be champions.
“We’ve had such a tough year and volleyball is a great escape for all of us,” said Buonfiglio. “It was a different season but we made the most of what we had and enjoyed our time together.”
