2024 MIAA Fall Volleyball Championships: Ipswich, Westborough, Newton North Keep Rolling; Bourne, Medfield Champions Again

The 2024 MIAA Fall Volleyball Tournament began with a total of 197 teams across five divisions, and after playing out over a span of 2½ weeks, five champions stood at the end.

In a rare feat in which every championship match featured the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds in the respective brackets, three No. 1s ultimately prevailed, and three of the five winners were repeat champions from 2023.

Ipswich High School took home its fourth championship in a row, while Newton North High School and Westborough High School each made it three straight. Medfield High School and Bourne High School ended championship droughts with their 2024 wins.

The Division 5 final was played Thursday, November 16 at North High School in Worcester, with the remaining four contested Saturday, November 18 at Billerica Memorial High School.

Here is a recap of the championship matches, in the order they were played:

Division 5

In a rematch of the 2018 Division 3 state championship - the last time either of the two schools reached the final - the story was much the same. Bourne, the No. 1 seed in the 46-team bracket, came away with the 3-0 victory over No. 2 seed Whitinsville Christian School.

Bourne had to battle for 25-18, 25-21 and 27-25 set victories to stave off the Crusaders.

Lily Russell (17 digs), Sofia Halunen (14 kills, 15 assists, 6 digs), Mayla Muldoon (18 assists, 5 kills, 7 digs), Nola Timo (25 digs, 7 kills, 2 aces), Carley May (8 kills, 5 digs, 2 aces) and Hannah Petrillo (18 digs, 2 aces) all played key roles in Bourne’s fifth championship all-time. Bourne came up short in a loss to Mount Greylock in the 2023 state final.

For Whitinsville Christian, both championship match appearances have resulted in losses to Bourne.

Division 2

The first of four matches Saturday at Billerica ended in a familiar way for Westborough. The No. 1 seed Rangers had to battle, but ultimately stood atop the 40-team bracket again after pulling out a 3-1 win over No. 2 seed Oliver Ames High School.

The teams split the first two sets - Westborough winning 25-19 before the Rangers suffered their first set loss of the tournament as the Tigers prevailed 25-18. But Westborough ground out 25-21 and 27-25 wins to close it out. The final set featured 14 ties and 16 lead changes.

Georgia Tyrrell (27 kills) and Sam Norman (43 assists) were keys to victory for the Rangers, who earned the program’s fifth championship overall.

Oliver Ames was making its first title match appearance, as each of Westborough’s three straight championships have come against Hockomock League opponents (King Philip Regional in 2022, Canton High School in 2023). Addyson Smock led the Tigers with 19 kills.

Division 4

Ipswich, which had never reached the state championship match before the advent of the statewide tournament in 2021, has dominated under the format. The Tigers made it four straight championships, this time as the No. 2 seed in the 35-team bracket, by bouncing No. 1 seed Bellingham High School, 3-1.

Much like the match before it, the teams split the first two sets - Ipswich prevailing, 25-19, before the Blackhawks rallied for a 25-22 win to even things up. But Ipswich took control with a 25-16 win and finished it off, 25-15.

Claire Buletza led the way for the Tigers with 18 kills, 14 digs and 3 aces. Addie Pillis (15 kills, 3 blocks), Alex Marino (40 assists), Emily Hannibal (15 digs) and Avery Brown (8 kills) also contributed for Ipswich.

Mia Milani’s 12 kills led Bellingham.

It was the second time in as many years that the teams squared off for the trophy, with Ipswich taking home a 3-2 win in 2023.

Division 3

After dropping a 3-0 decision in the matchup between the teams in 2023 and losing twice head-to-head during the regular season, Medfield got the better of the matchup with Weston High School this time. The Warriors, seeded No. 2 in the 41-team bracket, turned the tables and swept to the 3-0 victory over the No. 1 seed Wildcats.

The Warriors posted set wins of 25-14, 25-23 and 25-21 to take home the program’s first championship since 2010, when it was in Division 2. It is Medfield’s seventh state championship overall.

Ava Pender carried the Warriors with her 23 assists, 3 kills and 2 blocks. Kendall Larkin (9 kills), Ally Bonoldi (7 kills, 2 aces) and Lily Brodeur (5 kills, 2 aces) also factored heavily in the win.

Fielding Mayhugh had 14 kills to lead Weston, which was denied the program’s second state championship. Weston had beaten Medfield, 3-2 on Sept. 23 and 3-1 in the regular-season finale on Oct. 25.

Division 1

After splitting the head-to-head matchups between Bay State Conference rivals during the regular season, Newton North won the one that mattered. The Tigers, No. 1 seed in the 35-team bracket, swept to a 3-0 win over No. 2 Brookline High School for its third straight championship.

Newton North battled to 29-27 and 25-22 wins in the first two sets before putting away the Warriors with the clinching 25-14 victory in Set 3.

Sasha Selivan carried North with 26 assists, 5 kills and 4 aces. Devon Burke (13 kills), Charlotte Pernisie (8 kills, 2 aces) and Brianna Milliken (5 kills, 4 blocks) provided key depth for Newton North’s sixth championship in program history.

Emilie Ferdinand had 12 kills and 15 digs for Brookline, which was in the final for the first time since 1978 and seeking its first championship. The Warriors had handed the Tigers their only loss of the season, 3-1 on Oct. 22 after Newton North picked up a 3-1 win of its own on Sept. 12.