By Michael Letendre  

In the rematch between the Bristol Central and Bristol Eastern volleyball programs on Monday night, the Rams nearly dominated from start the finish. 

Getting contributions from the entire squad, Central was able to wrap up a tremendous 3-0 sweep over Eastern at the Thomas M. Monahan Gymnasium from the campus of BEHS. 

And there were some historical milestones accomplished over this city series bout. 

The sweep was only the third by Central (12-6 overall, 9-1 CCC South) ever against Eastern (11-6, 7-3) since 1977 and, perhaps, was the first ever BC 3-0 victory from the court at the Thomas M. Monahan gymnasium (again, at least since 1977 when the rivalry in girls volleyball was still relatively new). 

The Rams racked up their second straight CCC South championship while keeping its collective feet on the gas over all three sets against the Lancers.  

“That’s where we’re trying to get to,” said Central coach Lance Pepper. “I thought we’re doing a much better job the last three matches of putting our foot on the gas. And we’re not letting up.”  

In the first showdown, Central sophomore sensation Lily Kirk was knocked out of the game due to a back injury in the third set and the squad fell over the final three sets. 

This time around, Kirk went the distance and had her hair on fire the entire match in posting 14 kills, two aces and 10 digs. 

“It actually feels really good,” said Kirk of the victory. “As a freshman, I used to get really nervous playing big teams like this, especially Eastern. But now, it just kind of feels I’ve sunken into it and it feels like the adrenaline pushes me forward to that win.”  

Eastern’s Adrianna Reay (11 kills, four digs, two aces, four assists) had another exceptional game while Gabby Caucci (team-leading 14 kills, six digs) was humming until tripping over a teammate midway through the second set, injuring herself but hanging in even though she wasn’t at 100-percent. 

Andrea Martir-Perez (18 digs, three assists), Kamila Mateo-Rivera (two kills) and setter Naseem Hennouch (21 assists, 12 digs) all added something over the tough luck effort.

The Lancers never gave in as six lead changes and 12 ties highlighted competitive sets – at least to start – before Central’s team took command of the middle and endings of each game.  

The teams battled to a 4-4 stalemate in set one before a block by Central’s Ella Pratt (five blocks) and a slick Kirk kill from the left side of the court gave the Rams the lead for good. 

“With Lily back, they had a great offense going when she was in the front row,” said Eastern coach Stefanie Reay. “They served us out of system, and they played well.”  

When a Caucci swing wasn’t returned midway through the set, Eastern chopped the deficit to one (7-6). 

A 6-1 Central run – which included a slick tip-over by setter Alex Rivera (26 assists, two kills, 10 digs) – put the visiting squad ahead 13-7. 

Eastern got back to one again at 19-18 off a Central miscue but the visitors ended the first set with six straight points to take the first game. 

Pratt rejected another shot over the run and when Grace Higgins (10 kills, 11 digs) smacked one last ball on the Lancers’ side of the court, the Rams were 25-18 victors. 

In set two, Eastern rolled out a 5-3 edge as Reay dropped in an ace while Emma Cretella (two digs) made a tip-over for a score. 

Eastern then lost the lead, eventually tied things up but a bad serve – one of several misfires during game play for the Lancers – propelled the Rams to an 8-7 push, taking the edge for good in the set. 

“The serving was a big deal,” said Reay. “You just can’t make runs if you don’t keep the serve.” 

The Lancers were hanging around though, trailing 12-9, when Caucci fell and appeared to twist her ankle. 

Off that setback, Central used a 13-4 set closing run to ice things as Kirk added three kills and her final one, a punishing back row swing that fell in neatly, the squad won 25-13 and were up 2-0 in the match.  

“She’s finally clicking,” said Pepper of Kirk. “And she’s had a lot of pressure on her from the start of the season. She’s battled some injuries as we know throughout the course of the season and now, she’s kind of getting back into swing of things and playing how I know she can play.” Over the third and final game, Eastern roped up a 4-1 lead, then battled to a 6-6 stalemate off a Reay kill but a 6-0 Rams’ jaunt, including an ace by Isabella Alves (two kills, two blocks), put Central ahead, 11-6. 

Later in the frame, Kirk made another left side kill and after a couple aces, Central was in charge 15-8 as near perfect serves and only minor miscues fueled the Rams the entire evening.  

“We had [only] 11 combined unforced errors,” said Pepper. “And that’s awesome. We had five missed serves and six hitting errors. And that is a testament to where this team is hopefully going. We, obviously, had some ups and downs throughout the course of the season, battling some injuries, but we’re starting the click at the right time and that’s what matters.”  

To end the match, Higgins generated a kill, Kirk sent some shots over that were never returned and off one final miss-serve by Eastern, Central won the set 25-13 and the match 3-0.  

“Ultimately, I just told the girls [in the locker room] it’s just a game,” said Reay of the loss. “It’s just a volleyball game. It’s not life or death. Nothing’s going to happen. We’re going to come back tomorrow and work as hard just as we do every other day.”    

Central has won two of the past three city series showdowns which is a rare feat during city series play. 

The last time Central had a stretch like that against Eastern came during the 1993-94 campaigns with the Rams winning twice in a row at home while dropping a contest at BEHS.  

“It’s just a testament about how hard our kids work,” said Pepper of the sweep. “We have a very young line-up up out there, starting a freshman and two sophomores. These kids wanted it bad after the last time we played them.”  

City Series Volleyball – Bristol Central at Bristol Eastern 

BRISTOL CENTRAL 3, BRISTOL EASTERN 0     

from the Thomas M. Monahan Gymnasium, Bristol   

Set Scores: 25-18, 25-13 and 25-13   

Lead changes: 6   

Ties: 12   

Highlights – Bristol Central: Grace Higgins 10 kills, 11 digs; Lily Kirk 14 kills, two aces, 10 digs; Isabella Alves two kills, two blocks, seven digs; Emily Fontaine two kills, one dig; Daigelis Figueroa three kills, 13 digs; Alex Rivera 26 assists, two kills, three blocks, 10 digs, Ella Pratt five blocks, two digs; Bristol Eastern: Adrianna Reay 11 kills, four digs, two aces, four assists; Gabby Caucci 14 kills, six digs; Andrea Martir-Perez 18 digs, three assists; Samara Paranzino one dig; Kamila Mateo-Rivera 2 kills; Naseem Hennouch 21 assists, 12 digs; Emma Cretella two digs.   

Records: Bristol Central 12-6 overall, 9-1 CCC South; Bristol Eastern 11-6, 7-3 

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