The women’s volleyball team took down the Wentworth Leopards in their first home match of the season, improving their record to 2-0.
Medini rises up above the net to spike the ball towards the opponent's side.
Photo by Joe Giacco
The Leopards used their early-season momentum in the first set and did not take their foot off the pedal until the Lasers utilized a time-out while trailing 19-14. The timeout would work toward the Laser’s advantage as they would go on a seven-point run and end up taking the first set 25-22.
During the second set, the Lasers would fall 25-15. Coach Jeff Vautrin’s squad had some trouble with communication, but luckily for the Lasers, this was a small fork in the road that would barely throw the Lasers off course.
The third set went back and forth, but the Leopards would eventually be forced to use a time out of their own due to the Lasers' constant fight down the stretch. With the Lasers leading most of the set, it was not surprising when they finally broke apart a five-point run to steal the third set 25-20, giving them a one-set advantage.
Freshman middle blocker Kyra Paris who helped earn her team two crucial points at the end of the third set, said she was nervous, but immediately felt the support from her teammates the moment she took the court. “I was out there playing for them, and at the end of the day, I could make those plays because of my teammates. I felt the love.”
Paris added that she knew she and the team could make plays when the lights were brightest.
“Those girls give their heart and soul. We made the big play when it mattered most.”
The fourth set was electric, as both teams battled past the twenty-five-point mark. Neither coach called a timeout until the Lasers went up by three, and even then, the Leopards seemed to claw their way back. At one point, it appeared destined that the Leopards would finish the job and force a fifth set, but the Lasers continued to fire back. Junior middle blocker Juliana Medini would strike with a clutch kill to put the Lasers up one, and Camila Lopez put the nail in the coffin with a service ace that gave the Lasers the set win 31-29.
After the game, sophomore libero Autumn Walker praised Paris for her character on and off the court, passionately highlighting how her teammate finally broke out of her shell but maintained a calm and focused demeanor.
“In a big game like this, it was really special to see.”
Walker, who played a key role in the match herself, explained that her ability to come off the bench and provide a spark of energy is thanks to her mental prowess.
“You have to be ready for any point in the game. Just saying hi [to teammates] on the bench and making sure I’m focused is really important.”
The Lasers will go into their next match against Smith College without their passionate home crowd alongside them. The game will be played on Friday, September 8th, at 5 p.m.
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