The Division 3 state volleyball tournament kicked off on March 14, 2024, with No. 26 Swampscott facing No. 39 Saugus. The match took place at Swampscott High School, where the home team showcased their skills with a decisive 3-0 victory, winning the sets 25-13, 25-9, and 25-23. With this win, Swampscott moves on to the Round of 32 to compete against No. 7 Pembroke on March 16 at noon.
Swampscott established control early in the match, surging ahead 10-3 in both the first and second sets. Coach Amanda Clement emphasized the importance of starting strong, a focus that evidently paid off. “Throughout the year, it’s been something we’ve either done really well or struggled with,” Clement stated. “We’re either fighting for our lives to get back into a game or we’re ahead. That was something we stressed yesterday in practice: to get out first.”
Senior captain Lauren Paul played a pivotal role in Swampscott’s success, contributing six kills and an ace. Her performance on both offense and defense proved crucial. “Lauren has been awesome as a second-year captain,” noted Clement. “She was an outside hitter, but we needed her in the middle this year. She moved into the position seamlessly and has been incredible. She can play anywhere.”
Despite facing a two-set deficit, Saugus put up a strong fight in the third set. Megan Xavier, a senior and key player for Saugus, was determined to keep her team’s postseason hopes alive. “She’s our middle and she’s graduating this year, but she’s really come to life,” remarked Saugus coach Mikayla Kingstad. “Her blocking, her hitting, her energy — it’s everything. She definitely stepped up for us tonight.”
As the match concluded, Kingstad reflected on the emotional journey of her team. “I started with this group. It’s been a great season. We’ve overcome a lot of adversity. We’ve had a lot of injuries and weren’t too deep in the roster this year. I’m graduating eight of them and only have two returning next year. It was definitely an emotional one for me.”
Looking ahead, Clement is eager to face Pembroke, believing that the challenges presented by the Northeastern Conference have prepared her team well. “We look at it as any other game. We face some really great competition up here just in our conference. I want to say some of our best games this year have been against some top teams like Marblehead, Bishop Fenwick, and Peabody. We beat Bishop Fenwick and took sets from Marblehead and Peabody,” she said, emphasizing her team’s readiness for the upcoming challenge.
The match not only underscored Swampscott’s potential but also highlighted the resilience of Saugus, marking the end of their season. As the tournament progresses, both teams will carry the experiences from this match into their future endeavors, with Swampscott aiming to continue their successful run in the state tournament.
