Padua Volleyball: Starting Off Strong

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The Padua Pandas and the Concord Raiders faced off on Friday, September 11th at the Padua home court. This highly anticipated season-opener occurred almost a month after tryouts. Although the team of twelve felt some expected first game jitters, co-captain and senior Megan Barnett stated before the game, “I think we are handling them as best as we can! We are definitely nervous but super excited. We have been practicing really hard so I know that we will perform well. I think the team is gelling together very well!” After a prayer asking for a fair and fun game, while also commemorating the victims and families of the World Trade Center attacks fourteen years ago, the two teams were ready to play.

The match is best of five, meaning that one team has to win three games. Game one began with Megan Barnett (‘16), Emily Jarome (‘18), Claire Bisson (‘18), Emma Lucey (‘18), Lauren Mellor (‘16) and Gabriella (Ella) Welsh (‘17) on the court. Right off the bat, Megan Barnett served an ace. Then, outside hitter Lauren Mellor got two kills within the first four points, starting Padua out to an early lead at 3-1. After she served four straight serves, Concord called their first timeout at 7-1. Later on in the game, at 16-9 while Padua was in the lead, libero Madelyn Judge (‘17) was up to serve. However, before her first serve, Concord called their second timeout. Nevertheless, it didn’t phase Maddie and she came out of the timeout with an ace. Lauren Mellor finished the game strong with another four serve streak. The Padua Pandas won the first game, 25-13.

From the start of game two, the score was going back and forth and it was clear that both teams wanted to win. With Padua in the lead at 16-10, midway Emily Jarome’s serving run, Concord called their first timeout of game two. It was evident that timeouts don’t distract Padua volleyball players as Emily Jarome continued her streak, giving the Pandas a 9 point lead. As game two came to a close in Padua’s favor, the Pandas went out with a bang, literally. Taylor Valetti (‘17), assisted by Emma Lucey, got the final kill of the game, and just like that Padua won game two, 25-12.

In what may have been the final game, the Raiders were giving it their all in attempt to bring the match to fourth and fifth games. Despite this, Padua players were still fighting just as hard as they had in the previous games. Immediately, Emily Jarome was getting aces and kills left and right, assisted by both Megan Barnett and Emma Lucey. At 12-6, Padua, Concord called their first timeout of game three. After a good regroup session, Concord scored 3 points, bringing the game a lot closer. However, the Raiders only scored one more point before their second timeout was called at 20-10. Lauren Mellor ended the third game, just like the first, on a long serving streak. The final score was 25-10.

Both setters, Megan Barnett and Emma Lucey, supplied eleven assists each, going out to hitters Emily Jarome, Lauren Mellor, Taylor Valetti, Claire Bisson, Ella Welsh, and Emma Lucey. Maddie Judge, libero, had eleven digs and Ella Welsh, middle blocker, had six blocks. Head coach, Lauren Disabatino said, “Overall I thought the team played very well. We were in control the entire game and I am very happy with the outcome. Of course there were some first game jitters, but we quickly got over them and the girls played great.”