WESTWOOD – The Needham boys volleyball crew began Friday evening firing on all cylinders on a stage this system – making its fifth straight Div. 1 state ultimate look – is sort of used to.
However Brookline, in its first journey because it final received a state championship in 1992, wouldn’t be denied of the last word glory any longer.
Anchored by junior setter Alec Smagula (49 assists, 4 blocks, three kills) and senior outdoors hitter Kris Vaivars (27 kills), the top-seeded Warriors (25-1) shook off a rocky begin to finish a 33-year title drought with a 3-1 win (20-25, 27-25, 25-22, 25-15) over the No. 3 Rockets in a Div. 1 state ultimate that lived as much as its billing.
Resilience and late-game composure have been staples for Brookline all yr, so it was becoming for its first lead of the match to return in further factors of the second set, and for that to spark wins over the subsequent two frames inside a jam-packed Xaverian Excessive Faculty.
“Proper now, it’s surreal,” Vaivars stated. “That fourth set, the feelings – it was loopy. That is one thing I labored for for my complete highschool profession. Coming shut, going to the semifinals (in 2023), quarters (final yr), for it to lastly come true in my senior yr … it’s wonderful.”
Not a lot may go flawed for Needham early in every of the primary two units, twice taking a 6-1 lead.
Outdoors hitters Matt Cloonan (14 kills) and Will Rozman (12 kills) obtained off to scorching begins, pairing with stellar blocking and passing to maintain the Warriors at a secure distance for all of a 25-20 first set. Numerous intense battles on the web and high-intensity protection crammed each body, however Needham’s efforts prevailed extra constantly.
A lot of the identical success continued within the second, although Brookline punched again with a couple of massive runs to tie the rating at 9-9, after which at 18-18. Smagula and Vaivars performed central elements, however the all-around contributions from right-side Conor Christopher (9 kills, block), middles Luka Gallucci (three kills, three blocks) and Liam Raybould (5 kills, three blocks), and outdoors hitter Amir Tomer (9 kills, two blocks) have been vital.
First-year head coach Lexi De La Cruz couldn’t say sufficient in regards to the prompt the bench both, as junior Sebi Levi had some good passes and sophomore Jacob Lam finally took over the libero function after the second set.
“Jacob Lam, the 10-grader that simply got here in to the libero – at this stage – it was wonderful,” De La Cruz stated. “He didn’t play the entire season. … He was a key issue.”
Facet-out volleyball adopted from there, and Needham twice had set-point lined up. Service errors on each prolonged it, and Smagula’s help to Tomer paired together with his ensuing block to even up the match.
“We knew we had no alternative,” Vaivars stated. “We needed to come out, we’re enjoying for our lives, we’re enjoying for our careers. We knew that we have been a greater crew, so we simply locked in and did it.”
“(Needham) got here out robust, I used to be anticipating that,” De La Cruz added. “My crew stored preventing. … The job was achieved within the second set. We have been down 24-23. If we don’t win that set, we don’t win the match.”
Will McDonald, Cloonan, Rozman and the protection stored the rock-fight going within the third set for Needham, however Vaivars erupted in pockets to separate the Warriors for a lead as massive as 17-11. The Rockets clawed again, however the Vaivars’ ninth and tenth kills of the set secured a 25-22 win and a 2-1 lead.
“I knew we needed to win that third set,” Vaivars stated. “I knew the ball was coming to me. I knew what I needed to do.”
What can’t be misplaced from the set, although, was the three-year starter who assisted Vaivars all 10 instances – in addition to Christopher’s 4 kills within the span.
“(Smagula), for me, was the MVP of the day,” De La Cruz stated. “He was actually sensible on the best way to make use of his finest weapon. He used his finest weapon when he wanted it, and when he opened the sport – identical to the final set – everybody was scoring. He had a sport plan, he caught with it, and at present, for me, he was the very best participant on the courtroom.”
Brookline took off from there, utilizing a 13-3 run to construct a 20-9 lead within the deciding fourth set.
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