Priscarla Villefranche and Israa Howard also contributed to the article
Breast Cancer Awareness Month, observed every October, helps raise awareness about breast cancer, support those affected, and encourage early detection through regular screening. Many sports participate in Pink Out games, with athletes wearing pink to show their support. With pink decorations filling the gym, Malden High School’s Varsity Girls’ Volleyball team did just that on October 28th, defeating Everett 3-0.
The Tornados won in straight sets, showcasing strong serving, powerful hitting, and resilience in a hard-fought third set. Junior Captain and middle blocker Hadassa Pierre-Rene expressed, “This game showed one of our strengths, which is teamwork; the day before we practiced everything, and on the day of the game we were able to execute everything perfectly.”
Malden established control early in the opening set. Senior outside hitter Maliya Kazadi, also a Lead Reporter for The Blue and Gold, provided several kills to help build momentum, while Pierre-Rene and junior middle blocker Kayla Turner contributed key blocks at the net.
Senior Captain and setter Aaliyah Ferreira added two consecutive aces, extending the Tornados’ lead and energizing both the bench and the crowd. Throughout the set, Malden remained powerful from the service line and capitalized on Everett’s errors, eventually winning the set 25-13.
The second set began more evenly, with both teams earning points during the opening rallies. However, Malden quickly regained control thanks to a dominant serving run from Aaliyah Ferreira, who delivered three consecutive ace
Strong defensive efforts from junior libero Xiaohui Li and senior defensive specialist Raquel Ferreira allowed the Tornados to maintain their rhythm. At the same time, Senior Captain and outside hitter Sherley Jeune and sophomore outside hitter Sabrine Harrzaguia added important offensive contributions.
Raquel Ferreira stated that the team’s strength was their “ability to move on from each point.” However, “different rotations” caused players to shift to positions that most of them “do not usually play, so mistakes were bound to happen.”
Although the Tides narrowed the deficit midway through the set, Malden responded with timely plays. Harrzaguia recorded a back-row kill, and sophomore defensive specialist Meiduo Chen helped spark energy from the service line. An influx of points, including Chen’s aces, secured a 25-15 victory and gave the Tornados a 2-0 lead.
The third set proved to be the most competitive of the match. Everett jumped out to an early advantage as Malden struggled to find its footing. Despite trailing by as many as five points, the Tornados remained composed. Jeune spiked the ball to stop an Everett run, while junior defense specialist Meybelin Guadron delivered an ace.
“Everyone has great chemistry with each other, and there’s a lot of love among everyone. I think we had a great group this year, skill-wise and team chemistry-wise,” stated Raquel Ferreira.
Aaliyah Ferreira once again made an impact from the service line, serving multiple aces that brought Malden back into the game. A block from Kazadi and another combined block from Harrzaguia and Pierre-Rene helped swing momentum back in the Tornados’ favor as the set entered its final stages tied at 19-19.
With the match hanging in the balance, Harrzaguia stepped up behind the service line. She recorded multiple aces during a decisive scoring run that pushed Malden ahead. The Tornados maintained their composure and closed out the final set 25-19, ending the match at 3-0.
The victory highlighted Malden’s depth and teamwork, with contributions coming from each player.
“The season so far has been very fulfilling because we qualified for states! This has allowed us to have another week with each other, and it lets us enjoy our last few scheduled season games without any pressure,” concluded Pierre-Rene.
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