Lee Stays Unbeaten with Dominating Win

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com Sports
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DALTON, Mass. -- When Suriana Lee recorded the first of her eight aces to make it 5-0 for the Lee volleyball team in the first set on Thursday, the Wildcats were just getting started.
 
What’s most impressive is that they never stopped and never let up in a 25-10, 25-8, 25-9 win over Wahconah in Ed Ladley Gymnasium.
 
“Matches like that, you’ve got to be careful because it’s so easy to let down,” Lee coach John Warner said. “It’s pretty typical in volleyball, where you play a team, you throttle them a set, and then you lay back.
 
“I’m really proud of the girls. They stayed in the game and kept the offense going.”
 
And what an offense.
 
Bailey Thomas led the way with 10 kills, and Kylie Joyce and Lizzy Brown recorded six and seven apiece as Lee improved to 7-0 this fall.
 
“We’re coming at you from a lot of different directions,” Warner said. “It was a good, diverse offense. Freshman Kylie Joyce (five digs) is going to be a player. Then you have Bailey Thomas on the outside with 10 kills; she’s almost unstoppable without a double block.
 
“Suri really distributes the ball well. We look for even set dispersal. That’s one area where we’re really very efficient. We will go with the hot hand, but we are coming at teams from all directions.”
 
Bailey had two kills in a five-point Suriana Lee service run to end the first set. The second set also featured a long run by Lee, this time she took the ball at 17-7 and served the next seven points to give the Wildcats a commanding 17-point edge.
 
The third set was highlighted by four straight points from Katelyn Clark’s serve to push the Wildcats’ lead to 17-5.
 
Kaylee O’Bryan led Wahconah with six digs, four assists, three kills and three blocks. T Warren recorded eight digs.
 
Wahconah coach Dave Lussier said that although the scoreboard did not reflect it on Wednesday, his young squad is making strides.
 
“We just have to work on our serve receive,” Lussier said. “They’re a great serving team, and they don’t make a lot of errors. That’s one of the things with a team that’s rebuilding -- it all starts with the pass.
 
“Our girls are learning every day. We’re getting better every day. It’s tough when you go against a well-structured team like that.”
 
Wahconah travels to Lee on Monday for the rematch. The Wildcats are back on the road Friday at Mount Greylock.
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