BILLERICA – Holding the ball out in front of her, Teeghan Patch crept forward to deliver a serve in the season’s biggest moment.
Just moments prior, the Westborough volleyball team seemed destined to win the championship. The Rangers won two of the first three sets, and after pulling ahead 19-16, sat a mere six points away from hoisting the trophy. But second-ranked Oliver Ames fought back – hard. With their season on the line, the Tigers won eight of the next 10 points – including going on a 5-0 run – to make the set 24-21.
Now, it was Westborough that had to battle back – or risk a fifth set with a red-hot Oliver Ames squad. Off the serve of Sam Norman, the Rangers took a 26-25 lead. It was left to Patch, one of the team’s nine seniors, to seal the deal. Her confident serve forced a poor return, the ball flying out of play as Westborough’s players swarmed one another to celebrate the championship win.
The Westborough volleyball dynasty continues.
“It’s spectacular. I’m thrilled beyond comprehension. I’m really, really happy,” said Westborough Head Coach Roger Anderson. “For this group, it’s special because at the beginning of the year, nobody thought we could do this. I think that makes it really special. They worked hard every day, and they earned it. I mean, we had to earn it against Oliver Ames because they played fantastic today.”
The win – which was earned at Billerica Memorial High School on Nov. 16 – gave Westborough its third consecutive MIAA Division 2 championship, something that’s never happened in school history. Captained by Mia Grandin, Norman, and Georgia Tyrrell, the team finished the season at 21-1, winning 63 of 72 sets. Seventeen of this year’s wins were three-set sweeps.
“It feels amazing,” said Norman, holding the Massachusetts-shaped trophy alongside her fellow captains. “We’re so happy to do it with each other. We went into this just being happy to make our season as long as possible. … We are so proud of each other.”
“We’re all soaking it all in. We’re very happy to be here with each other,” added Grandin. “It’s a great way to end the season.”
Westborough opened the all-important match in their typical — that is, dominant — fashion; the Rangers never trailed throughout the first frame, taking the opening set 25-19. But, after a couple of mishaps, Westborough fell behind in the second set, with Oliver Ames leading 12-6, 17-11, 19-13, and, finally, 25-18. The Rangers, who had swept every playoff game to that point, huddled around Anderson during intermission as the Oliver Ames’ crowd roared.
Anderson’s message to the players was succinct – stay composed.
“If there was a theme for the day, it was composure. We got a little slippery in set two and made a few more mistakes than we would’ve liked, but we turned it around and pulled it back afterward. Down 24-21 in the fourth set, it takes some courage to do that,” said Anderson. “And we did – we got right back into it.”
In the subsequent sets, Tyrrell took over. The outside hitter notched 26 kills during the championship match, leading her team to a 25-21 third-set win, and making several huge plays down the stretch to help the Rangers steal the fourth.
The thread connecting each of the three title-winning teams, Tyrrell ends her volleyball career in Westborough as one of the greats.
“Georgia has played exceptional volleyball this year. I have not seen anybody who has played better volleyball than her. You can’t do it alone in our sport, so certainly it’s the connection with Sam [Norman], our setter, and the ability of our team to get the ball to the place it needs to be. However, she is a very, very good volleyball player,” said Anderson.
“[The win] feels amazing. I’m really, really excited about it. I was kind of hoping I could get three, so I’m happy it worked out,” said Tyrrell. “I was saying this to other people too, but I think it’s also sad knowing that the season is over. It was a big part of my life for a while. It’s tough, but it’s really amazing to end on such an amazing note.”
The team had to work for this one, but it didn’t seem to bother Tyrrell.
“That’s part of what made it so fun. Obviously winning in three sets is amazing and it’s been fun, but really being challenged, it kind of makes the win feel all the better. We worked for it,” she said.
Another championship is also a feather in Anderson’s cap. A member of the Massachusetts Girls Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Anderson has led Westborough into the playoffs each of the last 25 years; he’s won championships in 2007, 2017, 2022, 2023, and now, 2024. Including his success as Westborough’s boys outdoor track coach, he has won four state championships in the last two calendar years.
🏆 CHAMPIONS 🏆
Westborough girls volleyball wins the MIAA Division 2 championship. It’s a THREE-PEAT!
Here are the captains after the big W.@CommunityAdNews @MassGHSVB @WestboroRangers pic.twitter.com/FKh9IC8Y1w
— Evan Walsh (@evanjrwalsh) November 16, 2024
Ask Anderson about it and he’ll give everyone else the credit.
“It’s because of the great kids that come to play for us. It’s the awesome assistant coaches,” he said. “It’s a series of role models – these players looked up to the kids from past years, and now, there’s another generation coming behind them.”
With all the success, the rafters are getting crowded in Westborough. That’s not a bad problem to have.
“We know exactly where [the banner’s] going to go,” said Anderson.
Sights and scenes 🏆🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/FMIlIHcX7c
— Evan Walsh (@evanjrwalsh) November 16, 2024
