RallyNorth.net

Tue, Nov 13, 2018 07:30 PM @ Newton North

Team	1	2	3	4	Final
Lawrence	15	25	21	17	1
Newton North	25	19	25	25	3

Defending champs oust Lawrence in state semis

Thursday, August, 29 By Kyle Gaudette

NATICK — It’s a season they’ll remember in Lawrence for a long time.

Unfortunately for the Lancers, it ended shy of the ultimate goal.

Facing defending state champion Newton North in Tuesday’s Division 1 state semifinal, Lawrence saw its fantastic season come to end, falling 3-1. The North champion Lancers finish their season a near-spotless 21-1.

“I definitely feel that the work that we did all season, you could see it on the court,” said Lawrence coach Marino Valdez. “I think, coming from last year when we didn’t get anything at all, we came and practically took everything. The only thing we were missing was being state champions.”

Lawrence had been a buzzsaw all season, only losing four games the entire season heading into the state semifinal.

But last night, the Lancers ran into a bigger buzzsaw with more pedigree.

Not only are they the defending state champions, but the Tigers (16-2) have won the Central/East Sectional title seven years in a row.

Newton North is also led by Harvard recruit Ashley Wang, a 6-foot-2 senior who does it all. Whenever the Tigers needed a point, all they had to do was set Wang and it was lights out. She finished the game with 28 kills, 11 assists, five blocks and five aces.

“She’s a star,” said Valdez. “At her position, she’s the best we’ve seen this year. She can pass, she can set and she can attack. She’s excellent.”

Wang helped Newton North take a 1-0 match lead, winning the first game comfortably 25-15. It was the first time all season Lawrence had lost the first game in a match.

To their credit, the Lancers didn’t quit when it would have been easy.

Besides Wang, Newton North features three other starters in Lisa Halloran, Chelsea Simmons and Erin Carney that, who are 6-1 or taller. In the first game specifically, the Lancers frequently had their shots blocked.

Heredia leads way

The match had the making of a blowout early, but Lawrence rallied to win the second game 25-19 to tie it up. As she has done all season, Abigail Heredia (16 kills) led the way at the net. Vielka Sanchez (30 assists, 14 service points) was tremendous as well.

In the third game, Lawrence went on a 5-0 run to take a 15-14 lead. But Wang delivered two brutal kills in a row and the Tigers pulled it out, 25-21. Newton North won the fourth game comfortably, 25-17.

The Tigers will play fellow perennial power Barnstable in the state final on Saturday.

The Lancers will lose key seniors like Heredia, Alondra Davila and Chantal Melgen, but will return plenty of talent next fall.

“We had five All-MVC players,” said Valdez. “We had the Player of the Year. We won the conference, and the Coach of the Year. And we were North champions.

“To make it to the semifinal of the state, we have to be proud. I think I would be asking too much to not be happy right now.”

Additional stories:

• Defending champs oust Lawrence in state semis