With a program-best 13 wins, Warriors to host 1st round on Friday
WAKEFIELD—The Wakefield Warrior volleyball team will kick off their playoff run this week after drawing the 7th seed in the MIAA Div. 3 playoff bracket and are set to host their first-ever home tournament game this Friday evening at 6 p.m. against the winner of Norton (No. 26 seed) and Whitter (No. 39).
It’s been an historical season for the Warrior volleyball squad. Their 13-7 record entering the playoffs represents Wakefield’s best record in the history of the program. What’s more is they’re in the position to host not just one, but two home playoff games should they advance in Round of 32 play, which gives the Red Sea a chance to turn fandom into instant home court advantage.
“We’re all very excited,” says Wakefield head coach Kayla Wyland after the seedings were released. “We’ve gotten a lot of 5-set, intense experiences versus great teams this season which helped replicate vibes. The girls are proud and determined to defend our home court in playoffs for the first time in history. They earned this spot and are ready to take off.”
Wakefield improved to 13-7 after a series of victories last week. They kicked off their winning ways on Oct. 26 when they hosted Div. 3 rival Danvers and fought to a hard 3-2 win in sets of 23-25, 25-23, 24-26, 25-10. Leading in scoring was Wakefield’s Mia Kenny with 13 kills, followed by Savannah Cummings with 9 and 7 a piece from Lila Arkinstall and Brooklyn Calder. Leading in assists with 35 was senior setter Lea Carangelo.
“It’s a huge win,” said Wyland. “It was a challenge after a five-game week going into Danvers, who’ve been in the D3 finals before and are a well-coached, high level D3 team. We studied film, went over our scout and game plan, and the girls translated and implemented it into the game seamlessly.”
It was a tight set one against the Falcons and Wakefield saw early hitting from Cummings and Kenny but Danvers maintained a small lead until a Calder kill and an ace from Carangelo tied it at 11. Strong serving from Calder (two aces) gave Wakefield a lead before Danvers tied things up at 21. The Falcons would pull away however, putting Wakefield down a set early.
The Warriors would power through in set 2 in a very tight game that saw some fine work by Calder and Arkinstall. Kenny came up big in the third set, but Danvers would steal it 26-24.
The Warriors tied things up in the 4th with a blowout set behind great work from Kenny, Carangelo and a great Calder service run (including a game winning ace) to take a fairly easier 25-10 win.
That prompted a fifth and final set and momentum had swung Wakefield’s way. Calder started things off with serving aces and Cummings had two straight kills to put Wakefield up early, 10-6, in the 15- point set. But Danvers wouldn’t go quietly and tied things up at 12 before a final Kenny slam ended the game, 15-12.
“We served 95 percent which was huge,” noted Wyland after the game. “The girls played with a chip on their shoulder and stayed composed. Special shout out to Maddie [Keohane] and Sophia [Anderson] for their incredible serving and serve receive that kept Danvers out of system more often.”
It was a big day for hitter Mia Kenny and setter Leah Carangelo.
Says their coach, “Mia has grown into such an incredible player with a big window of control when attacking that lifts up the intensity of the team. Her defensive efforts and serving are aggressive and consistent. Playing her best volleyball at the end of the season is exactly what we want. All of this and she is only a sophomore. Coachable, consistent and hard-working. We’re lucky to have her.”
Carangelo also had a big effort with her 35 assists, all the while maintaining composure over the 5-set game. “Lea has been such a rock all season,” says Wyland. “Her drawing the middle blocker allows our offense to open up entirely. And her making offense out of a non-target pass has been huge for our success, plus her defensive intensity. Her consistent serves in the Danvers match were huge.”
Wakefield volleyball has undergone something of a renaissance in recent seasons. While playoffs are no longer new, hosting a potential few rounds are, and it’s a reflection of the Warriors’ growth into a division favorite.
“The shift in mindset of ‘we are underdogs’ to ‘we are a top team’ has really been my message this year,” says Wyland. “We’re no longer an underdog team. We’re no longer looked at as a roll-over win. We’re a team that people are afraid to come play.”
That has come with a lot of off-season training for varsity and would-be varsity players, plus a strong system of coaching and community support.
Wyland continues. “In my four years here, the support of the athlete’s families and the community just continues to grow. Special shout out to the WCAT and Brian McCoubrey for getting our games filmed for the community. The respect level, love, and understanding of the busy schedules allows us to feel supported and grow into something so large.”
A big surge in interest in youth volleyball across the state also appears to have helped the Warriors.
“I started the youth program three years ago and it’s helped the athletes’ progression over the years. All our coaches have been outstanding and a huge part of our success. The athletes in the volleyball program are some of the best kids in the school. Each day they’re ready to work hard, have fun, and be the best athletes they can be. They are all extremely coachable, respectful, and determined.”
And with that brief look backward, Wakefield is now completely ready for the future and to embark on what players and fans hope is a long and successful postseason.
“I want the girls to continue to have that confident mindset when they take the court in this playoff run, whether we are the higher seed, or lower seed,” said Wyland. “I know that we can make a great run and I’m so excited to get started.”