H.S. VOLLEYBALL: Foxboro edges Attleboro in Hockomock League Cup thriller

Foxboro then dramatically staved off match point four times, winning the final four points to post a thrilling 3-2 decision over Attleboro, 17-25, 25-22, 21-25, 25-23, 16-14.

“These girls don’t ever give up and if you look across the stats sheet, every single person played a key role,” Foxboro coach Vicki Santana said of the innumerable contributions all over the floor. “The kills, the digs, everything.”

Facing a 14-12 deficit after a Warrior hitting error placed AHS within a point of winning the match, Foxboro abruptly seized one opportunity after another.

A kill by southpaw-slinging senior at outside hitter Emma Keefe secured point No. 13 and a sideout for Foxboro. Then with senior middle hitter Shannon McDonald on the service line, the Warriors took the next three points — tying the match at 14-all on a kill by sophomore Mallorie Meyer; taking the lead on another kill by Keefe from the left side; while a terrific dig by senior soccer star and first-year varsity member Morgan Sylvestre resulted in an AHS hitting error for match point.

“That’s something that we’ve really been pushing in practice,” Attleboro coach Mary Katherine Runey said of the Bombardiers trying to string a run of points together. “That’s something that we’re trying to learn, trying to improve upon.”

Foxboro (3-9), which had lost five straight 3-0 decisions entering the match, knotted the score at 1-1 by taking advantage of six AHS service miscues and 11 Bombardier hitting errors in the second game.

AHS had tied the score at 16-all on an Ana Leonardo kill, but kills by McDonald and Keefe put Foxboro in front 24-19. Another Keefe kill closed out the game.

In the fourth game, Foxboro faced a 15-11 deficit after the Bombardiers’ Kate Petrosso had secured four straight service points with a Kosi Igbobi block and a Natalie Brojek kill.

Mayer stepped to the service line for the Warriors and secured four points with three AHS hitting errors and a Meg Murphy kill to take a 16-15 lead. AHS experienced 11 hitting errors and four misguided serves in the game.

Foxboro ventured in front 22-18, but Attleboro battled back to knot the score on three service points from Brojek with an ace and a Leonardo kill. Keefe regained the lead and sideout for Foxboro with a kill, then a Pam Nelson kill closed out the game.

Senior setter Sarah Regan (29 assists), Nelson, a senior outside hitter (eight digs, seven kills) and Keefe (11 kills) were influential throughout for Foxboro.

“We had a lot of kids making big plays all over the floor,” Santana said.

In the fifth game, two kills by Igbobi, a block by Brojek, a trio of Foxboro hitting errors and two net violations gave AHS with a 9-7 lead. But kills for Foxboro by McDonald (to tie the score at 10-10) and Murphy (to create an 11-10 lead) rekindled the Warriors.

Attleboro won the first game as Summer Pereira delivered five straight service points with Petrosso, Gabby Bolduc and Leonardo having kills for an 11-4 lead. Pereira had seven service points and Leonardo three kills in the game, while Foxboro netted just six points out of 12 service games, giving AHS with 11 points on hitting errors.

AHS gained a 2-1 game edge by winning the third game. The Bombardiers overcame a 14-11 deficit behind a terrific service run of eight straight points by Bolduc. Bolduc served four aces in that spree.

, including three straight for a 20-14 edge.

“We had that opportunity to make runs, we have to make sure that we keep those opportunities,” Runey said.