Kyle Dang also contributed to this article.
Under fluorescent lights, the sound of squeaking sneakers on polished gym floors echoed, and faint chattering could be heard from the bleachers as the volleyball match was set to begin. Malden was prepared to face their out-of-league opponent, the East Boston Jets, on October 3rd. Officially halfway through the season, the girls left their mark on the court with their second match against the team, resulting in a 3-0 victory reminiscent of their very first match of the season.
The first set began with Malden taking a strong lead for the first few points, showing confidence and determination. The team displayed a number of offensive tactics early in the game, such as outside hits delivered by senior Captain Sania Chen and junior Maliya Kazadi.
Followed by impressive defensive plays, such as a “pancake” dig—a technique consisting of a dive towards the ground using the back of one’s palm, which prevents the ball from hitting the floor, by senior Captain Rashmi KC, the team took advantage of their offensive plays and landed numerous attacks and “fakes” such as tipping and setting dumps.
Along with consistent blocks by senior Sorin Mamouzette, Malden displayed ambition against their opponent, going neck-and-neck with East Boston, trailing behind by one point. Ultimately, the first set ended in 25-20, due to a serving fumble by East Boston.
The second set also began with an early advantage by Malden, setting the scene with a score of 3-1. As the set progressed, East Boston continued to hold their ground, creeping up against the team. Anticipation arose as leads began to flip back and forth, making the outcome unpredictable. Eventually, the score distanced itself as Malden advanced with a huge lead of 18-12.
In a final rally, East Boston served, ending the back-and-forth with senior Danielle Harrington spiking the ball over the net, ending the set with a score of 25-17.
“I would say that it felt good, our back row and setters are who get the ball up for hitting, so I give them full credit,” shared Harrington. “The game was chaotic, but it all played out in the end.”
With two games under their belt, Malden entered the third set with confidence and good morale, maintaining their trend of strong starts with KC setting a precedent by serving for six points in a row. This match focused on an offensive-heavy set, keeping a strong lead throughout the match. As a result of Malden’s unwavering resolve, East Boston played defensively, slowly catching up to the Tornados.
As the set progressed, both the Jets and Tornados felt a relentless need to win. With the Jets overcome by a new wave of determination, their offense increased. A player for the Jets, unfortunately, suffered an injury mid-play after a collision with another player while trying to save the ball. Following the player’s evaluation, she continued to support her team and was met with applause from everyone in the gymnasium.
The Jets returned to the game with a brand new resilience. With this new might, the Tornados slowly began to crack, breaking their multi-point streak, allowing their rival to overpower them in the final few points of the set.
With the set coming to a close, Malden, who was originally keeping a consistent four-point “up”, started to shake. Tension was at an all-time high: would Malden be able to leave the East Boston arena with a clean sweep?
As rhythmic cheers erupted from both sides of the bleachers, Malden began to succumb under the pressure of the Jets, beginning to fumble their last few points, leading to a suspenseful series of tie-breaker scores, each team inching a point or two above the other. The game seemed to pause in Malden’s favor at 23-20, before the Jets made a miraculous comeback, scoring 24-23. Eventually, the score tied at 24-24, advancing to 25-25. The tie-streak didn’t stop there, as both teams continued to 26-26.
The game progressed for another few nerve-wracking minutes, stagnating the score at 27-26. The outcome of the match would determine if the Tornados would leave the Jets’ gymnasium unscathed or if they had to endure a set or two more. As KC assumed a serving stance, time seemed to pause in an everlasting feeling of uncertainty.
KC served the ball for the final time that evening.
After an elongated rally, with impressive offense and defense from both teams, Malden ultimately defeated the Jets in a 28-26 third set after the opposing team hit the ball out of bounds.
“I think that it was definitely an ‘off’ game due to the other team getting an injury, but I feel like our team was able to stay together and keep playing, which is definitely a plus,” expressed KC.
“Although we made some mistakes, we stepped onto the court fighting for the next play with renewed confidence,” sophomore Xiaohui Li proclaimed, who managed to score multiple points throughout the game by ensuring the other team failed to receive or send back a serve.
The 3-0 victory serves as a positive beginning for the official second half of their season, showing promise and capability for the remaining weeks to come. The team continues to push through games with swift sweeps, with this match serving as their fifth win in a row. If they manage to hold their strong streak, the girls will officially qualify for the MIAA State Tournament, contributing to their milestones ahead.
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