Published March 11, 2021
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
NORTH READING — Last season, the North Reading High volleyball team lost to Lynnfield in the first round of the Division 2 North state tournament to end the year at 11-9. The Hornets ended up in fifth place in the Cape Ann League going 8-8.
Two seniors from that 2019 squad graduated in 2020: co-captains Shea Wilk and Rachel Perry. Wilk was a middle hitter and Perry was a setter.
Back in September, the CAL officials decided to postpone the girls’ volleyball season until the new Fall 2 season created by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) which started with tryouts on Feb. 22 and will run until April 25. There will be no state tournament.
Instead, North Reading will play 10 regular season games as the CAL will be split into the Kinney (Large) and Baker (Small) Divisions. The Hornets will play the three Kinney teams twice and then play the four Baker Division teams once.
All eight teams will make the league playoffs as the fourth seed will face the top seed in each division while the second and third place teams will play against each other.
The two winners per division will then play in the league championship game.
The Hornets entered this season as one of the most experienced teams in the CAL as head coach Mike Milone welcomed back nine veterans including seven seniors.
The four senior captains are Liz Kelly (outside hitter), Grace Gorman (setter), Sophie Trischitta (opposite hitter), and Celia Standel (libro). Kelly is a two-year captain as she is the team’s lone returning CAL All-Star.
Christina Valenti (outside and middle hitter), Anna Bryk (middle Hitter) and Jess Solecki (outside hitter) are the three other 12th graders back.
Rose Morelli (outside hitter) and Megan Slattery (outside hitter) are the two juniors returning.
“It was tough to have no preseason games,” admitted Milone. “We worked a lot on our conditioning since a lot of players have not played for a while.”
North Reading opened the season on Monday evening as they took on visiting Triton. The Vikings ended up winning 3-1. North Reading won the first set 25-20, however, the Vikings won the next three sets with three-straight 25-23 scores.
“We played tight and were not in sync,” said Milone. “They made less unforced errors than we did.”
Solecki and Kelly both had 16 digs while Gorman had 18 assists. Bryk had 10 kills while senior newcomer Sarah Gerber had three service aces and three blocks.
Gerber played in California before moving to town last year.
“She is going to have a big impact,” said Milone.
On Friday, the Hornets will welcome Newburyport. North Reading will then host Ham-Wenh on Mar.17.
Both of those games will start at 5:30 p.m.
