Emily Pitfick went absolutely off with 39 assists and added six digs as the Winnacunnet High School volleyball squad, seeded seventh, tore down No. 10 Concord 3-1 in their Division I first-round showdown on Wednesday. What a way to kick off the tourney! Coach Casey Flanagan called it a “phenomenal” program milestone, especially getting to host a playoff game after “a while.”
Winnacunnet Proves a Point, Faces Tough Road Ahead
Seriously, those set scores were tight: 25-20, 25-18, 26-28, 25-13. That third set shows they had to battle for it, and that’s the kind of grit you love to see in the postseason. Flanagan straight-up said winning this match was about “proving a point to ourselves that we can compete with high-level teams.” They’ve been in those high-level fights all season but hadn’t quite closed them out until now. Huge mental victory, right? Winnacunnet is sitting pretty at 13-6 on the season after this, but here’s the kicker: they’re heading to No. 2 Bedford on Friday for the quarterfinals. Bedford already handed Winnacunnet a 3-1 loss back on September 14. So, this next one is a rematch with everything on the line. Flanagan’s crew is focused “one day at a time, one match at a time,” ready to give Bedford their best shot.
Let’s talk about the players stepping up big time. Senior Nora Simmons was an all-around force, racking up 19 kills, two aces, four digs, and three blocks. Coach Flanagan raved about her, saying she “was able to terminate the ball well for us from the outside,” with “great service pressure” and defensive plays. Mia Botnick chipped in with seven kills, two aces, and six digs, while Kendra Caulmare added 12 digs, three assists, and two aces. When you’ve got that kind of all-around contribution, you’re dangerous.
Exeter Battles Through Five-Set Thriller; Dover Pulls Off Upset
Meanwhile, No. 5 Exeter absolutely survived a grueling five-set slugfest against No. 12 Londonderry to claw their way into the Division I quarterfinals. Coach Mike McDonnell wasn’t kidding when he said it was gonna be a “battle,” even admitting many saw Londonderry as “the most dangerous team in the tournament as a 12 seed.” They had to work for every single point. Senior captain Payton Strandberg was “phenomenal,” snagging eight kills on 14 attempts, exactly what they needed. Junior Lily Dale dished out 17 assists and four aces, Jasmine Winham added 15 assists and seven service points, and senior captain Bria Healy was a beast defensively with 19 digs. Exeter’s next challenge? A visit to No. 4 Bishop Guertin on Friday. Good news for Exeter fans, they actually beat Guertin 3-2 on October 15, so there’s some familiarity there. But McDonnell knows they’ll “have to play our best game” to win.
And don’t sleep on No. 11 Dover! They pulled off a massive 3-0 upset against No. 6 Nashua North. Talk about a statement win! Ayla Raynor was the star of that show, crushing it with 12 kills and six aces. That’s the kind of performance that puts the rest of the league on notice.
With these teams advancing, the Division I quarterfinals are going to be absolutely wild. Winnacunnet has that huge Bedford rematch, Exeter is looking to repeat against Bishop Guertin, and Dover just showed everyone they’re not to be underestimated. Get ready for some serious volleyball action on Friday!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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