Believe it or not, there was a time when one of the faces of Lynnfield volleyball didn’t know much about the sport.
Her brother’s fiance played college volleyball, and it was at one of her matches where a middle school-aged Celia Carbone fell in love with the game.
“I saw how fun, and exciting, and how fast the game was, and it really intrigued me,” Carbone said.
Carbone decided to give volleyball a shot in middle school, adding that “it wasn’t too serious.”
Years later, that decision turned into 1,000 career assists at Lynnfield High.
During most accomplishments of that stature, matches are often stopped to recognize the achievement. But in Carbone’s case, no one knew.
“The funny thing was – we had our underclassmen take our stats, and according to the stats, I still had about five or 10 to go by the end of that game, so I had no idea,” Carbone said.
She came into practice the next day to see a big poster that her teammates signed, to which Carbone said “what do you mean?”
The stats were re-evaluated, and she finished a match against Nantucket with 1,001 assists.
“My second-to-last assist of that game was my 1,000th and no one knew – not even me, “Carbone said. “I was crying, I was so happy that they did that for me.”
As for the team, the Pioneers were 20-4 this season, winning nine straight matches at one point and outscoring opponents 62-16 in overall sets. Lynnfield defeated South Shore Christian Academy, Rockland, and Nantucket in the Division 4 MIAA state tournament before losing to Joseph Case.
“Everyone on the team has developed so much, and I’m so proud of everyone – and to see that is really heartwarming,”
Rewind to her sophomore year – Carbone was a backup on the varsity team. The Pioneers’ starting setter hurt one of her fingers, and in came Carbone – still remembering the opponent (Ipswich).
“I had to start as a little sophomore on this big team that I thought was incredible, and I looked up to the upperclassmen so much,” Carbone said. “I was absolutely terrified.”
Now, members of the Pioneer faithful look up to her. Carbone learned to develop her skills, maturity, and bounce back after “adversity” – a heavily-used word in the program.
“There was a lot of conditioning, a lot of pushing,” Carbone said. “It really paid off.”
It certainly did. This season, as a senior, Carbone set a Lynnfield record for assists in a game with 42 (vs. Masco, Oct. 7). She was also named a first team Cape Ann League all-star for the second consecutive season.
Fitting for the 1,000-assist player, she attributes her success to her teammates on the hardwood.
“I think that it was all [because of] them. I think that we did it all together. It’s an accomplishment that me and my team did, not just me, because I can’t get an assist by myself,” Carbone said.
“It’s the full process of a pass, a set, a hit, and I’m just the middle ground. I still need those girls to start the play and end the play for me.”
Carbone’s favorite part of it all: the exhilaration of playing with her teammates.
“I would lose my voice after every game this season, and I loved it. I loved waking up with a scratchy throat because I loved celebrating. I loved jumping up and down like an idiot,” Carbone said.
As for what’s next, a future in volleyball is up in the air – no pun intended. Carbone is more concerned with academics and her interest in environmental science, but adds “I would love to continue if I have the opportunity based on where I end up going.”
Whether it’s a 20-win season on the court, or the sleepovers and homework sessions with her teammates off of it, Carbone is grateful for it all.
“I love volleyball,” Carbone said. “My team’s basically like my family through this game.”
