The Deerfield Junior Varsity volleyball team (4-5) hopped on the bus to eastern Massachusetts on a rainy and cold Sunday, October 28, to face Philips Andover (5-4). Both teams had played hard fought matches throughout the season and it looked to be a great matchup. However, the Deerfield squad traveled with just eight players, as the fall term continued to take its toll on the girls. The team’s primary setter and three of the strongest back row passers were not able to attend. Their absence was felt as Big Green dropped their match 0-3.
The girls started strong, building an early 8-3 lead with strong hits from Abby Persons ’21 and Juliette Lowe ’21. But Andover slowly chipped away at that lead. Both teams looked evenly matched, but with the score knotted at 22-22, Big Blue won a critical rally and finished off with two strong serves to win the set 22-25.
Not having three regular starters in the lineup took its toll in the second and third sets. Andover started the second with a 0-9 run of serves that the less experienced back row was unable to handle. After a quick point by Deerfield, the opposing team rattled off another 6 service points and led by a formidable score of 2-15. Big Green played even for the remainder of the set, but could not gain ground, falling 12-25. In the third set, after jumping to an early 8-5 lead, another strong service attack against the less experienced back row resulted in 9 straight service points for Andover. Big Blue easily took the third set by a final score of 14-25.
Big Green played to the best of their ability, but they couldn’t make up for the short bench and missing starting players. The team (4-6) looks forward to being together again for the short drive north to Stoneleigh-Burnham on Wednesday, October 31.
Set one: 22-25
Set two: 12-25
Set three: 14-25