Published April 22, 2021
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
LYNNFIELD — In the Cape Ann League championship game last Friday evening, the North Reading High volleyball team lost at Lynnfield by a final of 3-0. The Pioneers won the three sets, 25-22, 25-19 and 25-23.
“The match was much closer than the final indicated,” stated Hornets head coach Mile Milone. “We led, not only in the first set, but the third set as well. The second set was the only one were we had to play from behind all game.”
With the defeat, the sixth-seeded Hornets ended up at 6-7 while the top-seeded Pioneers finished the year at 12-1. Lynnfield went 3-0 against the Hornets this season.
“We had an unforced error late in the first set and that play seemed to carry over in the second set,” said Milone. “In the third set, where we played them very close, I had to switch our setter.”
Abby Gerber led the Hornets in assists with 22 and service aces with two. Anna Bryk led North Reading in kills with 10 and blocks with two.
Sarah Gerber, Abby’s older sister, led the Hornets in digs with 13.
The Hornets made the finals due to a forfeit by host Newburyport on Apr. 14 in the semifinal round.
“We made the drive up there and found out when we arrived that, due to COVID issues, they would not be able to play,” recalled Milone. “We didn’t like that we had to win like that and not playing a match mentally hurt us heading into the Lynnfield match.”
