Dressed in pink for breast Cancer Awareness month, the Westport girls volleyball team had their biggest comeback of the season, winning three straight sets after being down 0-2, to beat Holbrook, 3-2 (20-25, 20-25, 25-16, 25-17, 15-12) in a home grudge match on Thursday evening. The team evened their home and home series with Holbrook at 1-1.

The Wildcats are now 8-6 overall and 6-3 in the Mayflower League. The team needs to win just one of the next five games to clinch a spot in the state tournament.

“It was a phenomenal game,” said head coach Mike King. “It felt like a tournament win to me. It was that kind of atmosphere here tonight.”

Co-captain Lacie Miranda agreed, “It was tough in the beginning, but we are a scrappy team and we don’t give up.”

“We got in our groove and started playing together, Miranda said. “We started playing Westport volleyball.”

Miranda had the game winning spike in set 5. With Holbrook serving and the Wildcats up 14-12, The ball came over the net to the back row. Carreiro dug the ball out. Gaudreau got herself under it and set it over to Miranda waiting on the right side of the net.

“The adrenaline was rushing,” said Miranda, “I lost the 12th point for our team, so I just wanted to get redemption.”

The junior used the adrenaline to slam the ball to the open court between Holbrook players for the winning point.

“I wanted to get the win for the team,” said Miranda. “Honestly, we deserved it. We fought so hard to get that win. I’m proud of us as a team.”

She tallied 5 kills, 4 aces and 7 total service points for the Wildcats.

Coach King felt that his young team made strides during the Holbrook game.

“To come back from 0-2 in volleyball is one of the hardest things to do,” coach King said. “We are a young group. The team has no seniors. For them to do this is big for the team.”

Sophomore at the net

Sophomore Sophia Terra came up big time and again during the comeback with 7 blocks and 3 kills.

“Sophia stepped up tonight,” said Miranda. “She had a lot of great blocks and kept balls up that no one else could have.”

“Sophia played her best game since seventh grade,” said coach King. “I’ve been working with her on the mental aspect of the game and that’s where she excelled today.”

“Her defense was amazing,” coach King added. “I give her a lot of credit. It was good to see things finally coming together for her.”

The setter

Sophomore setter Abby Gaudreau also had a monster game for the Wildcats, compiling 6 aces, 24 assists, and 13 total service points.

““Abby is an amazing setter,” said Miranda. “This is her first year playing varsity. She could not do a better job.”

Co-captains and underclassman

Co-captains Kyleigh Finglas, Paige Churchill and eighth grader Lindsay Moniz also came up big during the comeback.

Finglas, a freshman, had 8 kills and 1 block. Churchill was a beast in the back court consistently digging the ball out with teammate Jenna Carreiro.

“Paige doesn’t have stats because she’s a back row player,” said coach King, “But we can’t play well defensively if she’s not on her game.”

Churchill takes charge of the team’s back row and positions her teammates during the game.

“Her value is unbelievable,” said coach King.

“She will give me a look after she does her thing, and then we’re good,” said coach King.

“Paige gets to everything,” said Miranda, adding, “She knows how to get our team together and hype us up.”

Moniz also came up big for the Wildcats, with 7 kills, 3 aces and 16 total service points.

Coach King is expecting good things from his young team, this year and in years to come.

“We have a good young corps, which I’m excited about,” he said. “I’m hoping we can do some damage over the next couple of years.”

Next up:

The Wildcats play at Bishop Connolly on Wednesday, Oct. 16th at 5 p.m.