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Teamwork helps North top BG; South gets first win

By Tom King - Staff Writer | Oct 6, 2020

Telegraph photo by TOM KING Nashua North's Meaghan Valcourt reaches for a hit against Bishop Guertin's Meghan Stack (17) and Larissa Comolli during the Titans' 3-2 win Monday night at the Colligadome.

When Plan A doesn’t work, go with Plan B.

The Nashua High School North girls volleyball team has had hitter Alyssa Stanton get key points this young season. But Stanton was having trouble with her placement Monday night in an intense match with city rival Bishop Guertin at the Colligadome.

But enter teammates like Kelsey Laliberte, and the Titans took the fifth set 15-11 in a 3-2 win over the Cards to stay unbeaten at 3-0.

“We had a lot of strength in our middle tonight which was great to see,” North coach Nicole Fitzgibbons said. “It’s a team sport all around, so it’s great to see when someone’s having a hard time in an area, everyone else can step up and do what they need to do to get the job one.”

Laliberte had 15 kills to lead North. Mia Lopez added 32 assists while Mina Regnery had seven digs with five aces. Also getting key points were Ella Landry, Olivia Mazerolle and Jamie Parker.

The Cardinals, now 2-3, won a tough first set, 32-30, but the Titans took the next two by identical 25-21 scores. Then Guertin senior Maddie Keating heated up and Guertin dominated the fourth set,25-13.

However, in the fifth set, the Titans snapped an 11-11 tie with Landry getting a key point during the stretch of four straight to win the match.

“I think the whole entire match was a roller coaster,” Guertin coach Abby Savard said. “We’d have moments of really brilliant plays on offense and defense, and then we would have these moments of lows, where there were repeated errors over and over. I think that’s what happened in that fifth game.

“We had a period where we made a couple of errors,and it’s much harder to recover.”

Keating ended up with 12 kills, 11 digs and two aces. Julia Foster (five aces, 32 assists, 14 digs), Bella Reichard (eight kills, one dig) and Emma Charron (13 digs) also helped out.

At times it looked like Keating from the left outside and Stanton from the other angle, but then North’s teamwork took shape.

“We didn’t take as good care of the ball as we needed to,” Savard said. “But Keating is phenominal. She had a little bit of a rough spell in the second game but came back full throttle.”

The close first set almost guaranteed a five set night.

“We were fighting tooth and nail to get the win,” Fitzgibbons said of that first set in which the Titans fell. “I think it’s great when you can come out with that much energy, that much enthusiasm, and play every set like it’s your last. It set the tone for the rest of the match.”

And perhaps for when the teams meet again on Wednesday at Nashua North.

In other local high school action on Monday:

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

NASHUA SOUTH 3,

ALVIRNE 0

South 3, Alvirne 0

The Panthers got their first win of the season – and first win for new coach Erica Vendtuoli – by a 25-17, 25-22, 25-22 count.

Natalie Boyle had seven kills and Alexis Farrell six, while Anne Sherman added 20 assists for the Panthers,now 1-5.

It was Alvirne’s first loss of the season after a 3-0 start. The two teams play again in Hudson on Wednesday.

FIELD HOCKEY

BISHOP GUERTIN 3,

NASHUA NORTH 0

The Cardinals got two goals by Taylor Guibord, a goal and an assist from Brooke Yabroudy and an assist from Lindsay Hult at Stellos Stadium.

Monina Tosi had a quiet first half in goal while Makenna Reeki had three saves in the second half for BG (1-1).

MANCHESTER CENTRL 4,

NASHUA SOUTH 0

Courtney Tello had 16 saves for the Panthers, who hope for a different result when the teams meet again on Wednesday in Nashua.

GIRLS SOCCER

SALEM 5,

MERRIMACK 4 (OT)

The Tomahawks, after having last week off due to coronavirus precautions, likely enjoyed returning to action until the Blue Devils got a goal in overtime.

Salem won in overtime 5-4

It spoiled a hat trick by the Tomahawks’ Isabella Saxon, while Mary Vance added a goal. Siobhan McMakin had two assists and Kaely Smith one.

Merrimack (0-3) hosts Salem on Wednesday.

GOLF

HOLLIS FIRST,

MILFORD THIRD

The Cavs, led by a 37 from Garrett Sturges, totaled 195 at Stonebridge Country Club to beat Goffstown (205) and Milford (238).

Grady Sturges and Colin MacDonald each had a 39, while Rory Klauber had a 40 and Matt Dias 41 for HB.

Milford was paced by Jacob Dube’s 42. Ryan Cavanaugh had a 47, Holden Bertenceni a 48 and Corey Giraurd 49 for the Spartans.

SALEM 221,

MERRIMACK 226

Cameron Higham had a 42 and Hunter Bailey a 43 but it was not enough to get the Tomahawks past the Blue Devils at Souhegan Woods.

Connor Patch (46), Patrick Browning (47) and Ryan Rezenedes (48) finished the Merrimack scoring.

Salem’s Evan Desjardins was medalist with a 34.

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