After Marathon Comeback Win at Sharon, Stoughton High Volleyball Cruises at Randolph

A day after grinding out a five-set victory at Sharon, where the Stoughton High volleyball team came back to win after dropping the first two sets, the Black Knights were back on the court Friday in Randolph.

But no dramatics were needed against the Blue Devils. Stoughton cruised to a straight-sets win, 25-13, 25-8 and 25-14.

"This is what we needed," Stoughton coach Ken Gay said of the quick match. "I knew we were dead tired at the end of [the Sharon] match."

With the wins over Sharon and Randolph, Stoughton improves to 4-1 this season.

Thursday's match at Sharon marked the first of four consecutive road contests (Stoughton is not home again until October 1).

The Black Knights fell behind the Eagles, losing the first two sets 25-20 and 25-21, but bounced back to tie the match, winning the third set 25-22, and the fourth 25-18.

While the first four sets were close, the fifth set was was a runaway. Behind the serving of Lauren Carmichael, Stoughton closed out the match with a decisive 15-0 win.

Coach Gay said "that was the team I know we can be in the third set."

"That was the best set we ever could have played," he continued. "Everybody contributed to that fifth set."

For the match, Nicole Daniels turned in 28 kills and 7 blocks; Emma Zuk had 50 assists and demonstrated "outstanding court leadership," Gay said; and Carmichael had 33 digs and 21 service points, 15 of which came in the final set.

Against Randolph, Gay got to use his whole roster and get some of the younger varsity players more playing experience. He credited Meaghan Hill and Payton Pizzano for their play off the bench, and said Daniels and Zuk turned in another solid performance.

Daniels had 9 kills and 3 aces, and had 18 service points in the first set. Zuk had 14 assists, 5 digs and an ace. Hill had 8 digs, while Pazzano had 3 aces.

Jalen Joseph had 13 service points in the second set, including 7 aces. Kayla Motley had 7 kills and 3 aces; Ashley Medeiros had 4 kills and 3 aces; Gabby Medina had 9 digs; Sam Malley had 6 kills; and Emily Cramer and Kadijah Dansby added an assist each.

Stoughton travels to Foxborough on Monday and Oliver Ames next Friday. Next Saturday, the team participates in its annual 5K fundraiser walk for the American Cancer Society, "$5 for the Cure." The walk (open to the public) starts at Stoughton High at 9 a.m. on September 29, with a $5 donation to participate.