The Division 3 state volleyball tournament commenced on October 26, 2023, with No. 26 Swampscott securing a commanding 3-0 victory against No. 39 Saugus. The match, held at Swampscott’s home court, showcased the Big Blue’s dominance with set scores of 25-13, 25-9, and 25-23, propelling them to the Round of 32 where they will face No. 7 Pembroke.
Swampscott quickly established control of the match, racing to an early lead of 10-3 in both the first and second sets. Coach Amanda Clement emphasized the importance of starting strong, stating, “Throughout the year, it’s been something we’ve either done really well or struggled with. We’re either fighting for our lives to get back into a game or we’re ahead. That was something we stressed yesterday in practice: to get out first.”
Senior captain Lauren Paul emerged as a key player for Swampscott, contributing six kills and an ace. Her performance on both offense and defense was instrumental in the team’s success. “Lauren has been awesome as a second-year captain,” said Clement. “She was an outside hitter, but we needed her in the middle this year. She moved into the position seamlessly and has been incredible. She can play anywhere.”
Despite facing a two-set deficit, Saugus fought back in the third set, demonstrating resilience. Senior Megan Xavier led the charge for the Sachems, displaying impressive blocking and hitting. Coach Mikayla Kingstad praised her efforts, saying, “Her blocking, her hitting, her energy — it’s everything. She definitely stepped up for us tonight.”
As the season concluded for Saugus, Kingstad reflected on her connection with the graduating seniors, stating, “I started with this group. It’s been a great season. We’ve overcome a lot of adversity. We’ve had a lot of injuries and weren’t too deep in the roster this year. I’m graduating eight of them and only have two returning next year. It was definitely an emotional one for me.”
Looking ahead, Clement expressed optimism about the upcoming match against Pembroke. She believes the experience gained from competing against strong teams in the Northeastern Conference will serve her players well. “We look at it as any other game. We face some really great competition up here just in our conference. I want to say some of our best games this year have been against top teams like Marblehead, Bishop Fenwick, and Peabody. We played well against higher-ranked teams and look forward to stepping up to the challenge again.”
With the win, Swampscott not only showcased their skills but also demonstrated their readiness to compete at a higher level as they advance in the tournament.
