In Natick, the boys volleyball team is looking strong with many talented players, making them likely contenders for the Div. 1 state title.
At the moment, Needham is still the top team.
The Rockets pulled off their 76th straight win by defeating the RedHawks in a tough Bay State Conference battle, overcoming a slow start to win 3-1 (18-25, 25-19, 25-19, 26-24).
Devin Dellamarggio provided 50 assists, mainly to Luke Lorence (21 kills) and Brian Cloonan (15 kills), leading the team through challenging moments.
Despite strong performances from Harrison Landry, Branch Barnes, and Matt Salerno, Natick was unable to stop Needham's go-to players, resulting in a historic win streak for the Rockets.
Needham's head coach Dave Powell recognized the remarkable nature of the win streak and the team's ability to perform well in crucial moments. He acknowledged that the streak won't last forever but expressed pride in the team's performance.
Player Lorence attributed the victory to the team's culture and ability to deliver in important moments, emphasizing the collective effort and satisfaction of the win.
Despite a rough start with errors in the first set, the Rockets managed to recover, especially during the second set, where they showed strong overall performance.
Dellamarggio's 13 assists in the second set helped Needham take control of the match's momentum, leading to a more comfortable rest of the game.
Dellamarggio's assists to Cloonan, Lorence, Bullard-Smith, and Kalish in the second set secured a lead for Needham and set the tone for the rest of the match.
The second set was challenging with long rallies, but the team's effort from the back row turned the tide in their favor.
Players like Ben Vu, Owen Ching, and Dylan Carroll made crucial plays during long rallies, contributing significantly to the team's performance.
Both teams faced strong challenges at the net, requiring multiple hits to secure a kill, creating intense energy in front of the packed crowd.
The Barnes and Landry combination was strong and couldn't be stopped for more than a few rounds at a time. Dellamarggio happened to have more success with his players, each of whom had significant moments in different sets.
Cloonan made four successful hits in the second set. Despite being 15-9 down in the fourth set, Needham also scored four consecutive hits from him in the middle of a significant comeback to secure the match. Lorence made six successful hits in that set's comeback and had eight successful hits with two blocks in a 25-19 third set. Andrew Kurdziel also made three of his seven successful hits in the third set.
Both Cloonan and Lorence were called upon when the score was 21-18 in the fourth set, and together they made four successful hits and a block to force a 24-24 tie and win, 26-24.
Lorence said, 'It was just confidence.' He added that Powell was telling them, 'Just keep going up and hitting.' … It was all about the confidence instilled by their coaches and teammates.
