Wildcats' Top Monument Mountain in Four Sets

LEE, Mass. – After starting the season with one win in its first four matches, the Lee High volleyball team Monday won for the second time in three outings, beating Monument Mountain in four sets.

 

Madison Heath recorded nine kills to lead the way as the Wildcats bounced back from a first set loss to take a 20-25, 25-11, 25-18, 24-15 victory and improve to 3-5.

 

“We definitely had a lot to work on after our first couple of games,” first-year Lee coach Isaiah Cole said. “I’d seen where the gaps were, and I got some help from the former coach Julia Warner. She actually gave me a few tips and tricks, and we have been implementing them.

 

“We’ve been doing a lot of work. And it’s different. But everyone seems to like it more, and it’s what we’re going to stick with.”

 

On Monday, Lee stuck with it after Monument Mountain’s strong start.

 

The Spartans (6-2) got four points on Reina Park’s serve to open the match with a 5-0 lead in the first set.

 

The lead grew to seven after a three-point run on Khloe Koldys’ serve, and later, Anjani Taliercio served a couple of aces in another three-point run to get to set point at 24-17.

 

After a side out, Lee got a couple of points before the Spartans were able to take a 1-0 lead in the match.

 

Taliercio led the Spartans with seven kills and 10 digs while serving three aces. Hazel Curletti recorded six kills and a pair of blocks in the loss.

 

The teams were neck-and-neck in the opening stages of the second set, but Lee opened up a big lead on a pair of long service runs.

 

First, Hannah Achurra (seven kills, six aces) served six straight points to put Lee ahead, 16-8, on an ace.

 

Then, after the teams traded side outs, Kayla Clark served five straight points, getting a block from Lily Driscoll in the run that opened a 12-point margin at 22-10.

 

An ace from Kassidy Clark (eight kills, 10 assists) ended the set and evened the match.

 

In the third set, Lee jumped out to a 10-3 lead after a kill by Marabella Garanzuay, and Monument Mountain never got closer than three points the rest of the way in falling behind, 2-1.

 

Set point was set up by a tip at the net by Driscoll, a technique that served the Wildcats well on Monday against the young Spartans.

 

“They didn’t bring a ton of offensive power,” Monument Mountain coach Kyle Henry said of Lee. “They started tipping a lot, and some of our coverages weren’t there. A lot of our kids are learning some new positions on the floor, so our coverages got a little mixed up, and that’s kind of when it got away.

 

“It was basically a tip fest for them. They just kept pushing the ball over our block, and we didn’t adjust. Again, new faces learning whose responsibility is what is part of the process.”

 

Lee took control of the fourth set early, getting a seven-point run from Eleny Guzman (seven aces) that ended with a pair of Achurra kills to make it 13-5.

 

Monument Mountain made a late charge with a four-point run, but a tip by Garanzuay got Lee to set point and gave the ball back to Guzman, who promptly served out the match.

 

Cole said that his team is starting to come together as it begins the second half of the regular season. And a sign of its maturity Monday was that he did not need to say much during the break after dropping the first set.

 

“Honestly, no,” he said. “I just had all trust in them. I can say a lot of things. It’s up to them to choose if they want to turn it around or not. And they showed they really wanted it more than Monument.”

 

Lee Wednesday is home to host Pittsfield. 

 

Monument Mountain is back on the road Tuesday at Hampden Charter.

 

Photos from this game to come.