By Riley Fontana
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Medfield High School Warriors volleyball took on the Medway High School Mustangs Monday night for the team's Dig Pink fundraiser. A strong serving force and countless dives led the Warriors to a 3-1 win, making them 11-3 on the season. Together they raised $4,346 for the Ellie Fund.
The Warriors showed their dominance on the court from the first set, with Sophomores Jordan Sanderson and Maya Romagnolo blocking several spikes from the Mustangs. Senior Captian Lily Brodeur proved herself to be a strong player with powerful serves and hard spikes for points. Medway took the first set 20-25 in a very close fight.
The second set showed off the serving abilities of the team. Romagnolo sent over multiple unplayed aces and ran a five-point service streak. Senior Ally Bonoldi showed her skills by spiking for a point along with Brodeur. The strong arms and communication allowed the team to take a 25-12 win on the second set.
The third set was another landslide for the Warriors, taking it 25-16. Junior Ava Pender was at the front lines blocking plays from the Mustangs, sending the ball back for points. Brouder brought back her powerful serve with unplayed aces and threw her body across the court to keep the ball in play.
The fourth and final set brought in Freshman Liya Raut, who proved herself dominant on the court. Raut and Senior Captian Kalya Hanna both had four-point service streaks and involved themselves in most plays. The Warriors took the set 25-18 in another hard fight, winning the game 3-1 overall.
The big draw for the night was the Dig Pink fundraiser, a volleyball tradition to raise money for breast cancer awareness and treatment. This was the third year the Warriors worked with the Ellie Fund, a Massachusetts-based support system for breast cancer patients. “Our services include pre-prepared and delivered meals, grocery gift cards, transportation to appointments, child care, housekeeping, and integrative therapies,” said Kathy Winters from the Ellie Fund. “We are on track to serve 2,000 patients in 2024 and are always looking for more to support.” The Ellie Fund is willing to support anyone who fits the two criteria: that they are a current breast cancer patient and they live or are receiving treatment in Massachusetts. The self-nomination portal can be found on elliefund.org.
The players love supporting a good cause and the energy the game brings to the gymnasium. “It’s always a special night. We get the special jerseys, and everyone stays after school to decorate,” said Brodeur. “It’s a right of passage to have the underclassmen set up and decorate.” “It brings everyone together for a good cause,” commented Hanna. “It’s a really fun event.” Prior to first serve the Warriors presented the Ellie fund with a check for all the donations raised, and between sets ran a 50-50 raffle.
Warriors volleyball continues to show off its powerful gameplay and communication. Their season is one to watch as they campaign themselves to a playoff spot.
