LYNN — The No. 32 Lynn Classical volleyball team started its tournament play with a bang, defeating Greater Boston League foe No. 33 Medford 3-0 in a Division 1 preliminary round game Wednesday night.
Classical had faced Medford twice already this season, and the Rams were able to defeat the Mustangs on both occasions.
The first set got off to a good start for Classical as it broke out to a 5-2 lead, but Medford clawed back into the set with some quality service points to take a 10-8 lead. The Mustangs extended the lead to 17-12, forcing a Rams timeout.
After starting out nervous, Rams senior Chloe Clement said that the realization that this could be the seniors’ last match motivated the team to loosen up and play their game.
“We all had to play for each other when we got down,” Clement said.
Classical responded well, eventually tying the match at 19-19 before winning the first set 25-23. Clement had a fantastic night with 18 kills and four digs. Classical coach Chris LeBlanc called her the heart and soul of the team.
“She’s one of the best players in the state,” LeBlanc said. “I think because she plays for us she doesn’t get the recognition that she deserves because we are an urban school in an urban league and people just tend to look past us. They’re not going to be able to look past her.”
In the second set, the Rams looked much more calm after the nerves in the opener. Classical broke out to a 19-9 lead that forced a Mustangs timeout. The Rams ended up taking the set, 25-12, in large part due to the impressive service from senior Gianna Coito, who tallied four aces in the set.
The third set was the best of the bunch for Classical, as it got out to a 12-5 lead before taking the final set, 25-19. Once again the Rams got impressive service, this time from senior Isabelle Faessler. Faessler finished the night with four aces, three coming in the final set.
LeBlanc said that Faessler and Coito came up big on Wednesday night for the Rams.
“On a night when we struggled at the service line, we had way more errors than I’m used to us having,” said LeBlanc. “We are a 90-plus percent team and we were not that tonight. Those two, they picked us up a lot in that second and third set by going on a couple of runs there that gave us a little bit of breathing room. They were huge.”
With the win, Classical moves to the Round of 32 in the Division 1 tournament and faces No. 1 seed Franklin on the road Friday (5).
