MARBLEHEAD — The Marblehead volleyball team got out to a hot start Thursday and never looked back in a 3-0 win over Saugus on Senior Night. Marblehead won by set scores of 25-11, 25-12, 25-14.
“Definitely it’s been tough only playing one game a week for three weeks,” Marblehead coach Killeen Miller said. “But the team has been practicing real tough and (Thursday) was another great game for us.”
Keira Sweetnam led the way with 12 aces, while Lilah Thompson racked up 12 kills in the win. Emma Lawler had six kills, while Samantha Oberlander had 15 assists
“Keira and Lilah have come out so strong,” Miller said. “Lilah in the middle has been ridiculous and the two of them are pushing each other. I was telling them both, ‘you have to take big risks to get big rewards.’ You can’t be afraid to step up and both of them are on top of their game right now.”
It was a tough night to end the season for the Sachems, who found some footing in the beginning of the third set but struggled overall.
“I was very surprised with that third set,” Saugus coach Gina Vozzella said. “I put in a lot of players that don’t play as much with this being the last game of the year, and they came out strong. I was impressed with that.”
Sweetnam almost single handedly got Marblehead out to a huge lead early on. The sophomore was the first to the service line and served six aces to get the Magicians out to a 7-0 lead.
Marblehead stretched that lead to nine before Saugus went on a small run — led by a pair of aces from freshman Ava Rogers — to cut the deficit to 12-7. But that was as close as Saugus would get, with Abby Shwartz collecting a pair of aces during a Marblehead run to go ahead 18-8.
Fittingly, a pair of aces from Sweetnam helped the Magicians close out the first set and go ahead 1-0.
The second set was much of the same. Marblehead jumped out to a lead early and eventually jumped ahead 11-4. A kill from Cassie Israelson gave Saugus some momentum to cut the lead to 13-8, but it was all Marblehead from there. The Magicians went on a 12-4 run — highlighted by three aces from Sweetnam — to go ahead 2-0.
Saugus played its best ball to start the third set, resulting in three ties and a pair of lead changes. But with both teams tied at 7-7, some service errors helped Marblehead gain a foothold. A Thompson kill followed by three straight aces from Lucy Sabin helped put Marblehead ahead 17-9. The Magicians never looked back from there, and a Saugus service error ended the night.
The Magicians (5-5) are at Masconomet Tuesday (5:30) before ending the season hosting Danvers Thursday (10 a.m.)
Saugus ends the season at 5-6 and now says goodbye to five seniors — Paige Prezioso, Serena Cacciola, Carissa Sargent, Haley Mclaughlin and Madison Niles.
“This season was the best I’ve seen them play mentally and physically,” Vozzella said. “We’re losing starters, so that will be a tough loss. Some of them are looking to play in college, which is great. I’ve been really impressed with how they all handled this season.”
