PEABODY — After falling behind twice, the Peabody volleyball team battled back to earn a five-set win over Marblehead at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School Tuesday night. The Tanners won by set scores of 19-25, 25-11, 21-25, 25-17 and 15-8.
“When our energy is there, the girls really support each other to another degree,” Peabody coach Lisa Keene said. “When that’s there and everybody is on, I think it’s just the team chemistry that comes alive. We were able to do the things that I know they can do tonight.”
Rachel Coleman had 22 assists while Tatiana Correia led the way defensively with 32 digs for Peabody. Offensively, Alexa Flewelling had 11 kills, Ava LaValle had 8 kills and Maggie Brennon was solid at the service line with 12 service points.
After getting off to a great start and a 2-1 lead, the Magicians couldn’t put together a run to close out the game.
“We came out the first game playing our level of volleyball and we just couldn’t pull it together tonight all the way through,” Marblehead coach Killeen Miller said. “I think we just didn’t have the mental toughness.
“Good teams are going to come back on you and good teams can take it when they are down and give it right back,” Miller added. “Peabody just had the heart out there tonight and played their best volleyball.”
Jordan Heafitz had 11 kills for the Magicians while Kika Divoli added another eight. Izzy Curtin led Marblehead with 18 digs.
The Magicians jumped out to an early 8-2 lead in the first set before a Peabody timeout. The Magicians held on to the lead for much of the set as both teams went back and forth before Peabody narrowed the Marblehead lead to 19-17. From there Marblehead cruised to a 25-19 lead to take the first set.
Peabody looked like a whole new team in the second set, jumping out to a 6-0 lead with help from two aces by Coleman. The closest the Magicians got to erasing the lead was 13-9, but from there the Tanners dominated on there way to a 25-11 win to even the game.
In the third set, both teams fought to a 21-21 tie before Marblehead took over. The Magicians scored the next four points to take the set 25-21 and take the lead.
After falling behind initially, the Tanners were able to jump out to a lead in the fourth set. With Flewelling serving, Peabody went on a five-point run to take a 12-5 lead. The Tanners held onto the lead consistently throughout the rest of the set, leading to a 25-17 win to bring the match to a fifth set.
“When we get a lead, the girls are starting to learn that they can’t just be complacent,” Keene said. “They are realizing now that quite a few teams have taken us back and taken back the lead. I think that especially in the fourth and fifth set they figured it out that they can’t let that happen.”
Peabody started the fifth set with an 8-5 lead before the teams switched sides. The Tanners then surged ahead, winning the set 15-8 on an ace by Coleman.
Peabody (12-5) will play two games in the next two days, away at North Reading Wednesday and at home against Somerville Thursday, before traveling to Danvers Monday for a game that will decide the Northeastern Conference. Marblehead (12-6) will finish off its season with two away games at Lynn English Thursday and Wakefield Monday.
“We can only move forward from here,” Miller said. “In the state tournament everyone starts at 0-0, so we’ve just got to come out learning from the experience we’ve had.”
