Week Three - Purple Rising with the Mounties…
Photo from Kyle Teuton
9/26/22
Week 3:
As programs collide with more and more at stake, we see that many teams have good pieces to their puzzles. We also see that many teams are similar in their make-up and sport similar gameplans. Unsurprisingly then, there are a lot of 5 set matches occurring as the parity in the league, in the state, is in full bloom. What we do know is that many teams, and players, are certainly getting their monies worth night in and night out on the court, while the referees are earning every paycheck.
The upset of this week belongs to the Avengers of East Greenwich. With a frustrating week prior, the Avengers needed a big win to keep them from falling like a stone down the board. With 5-set losses to both Classical and La Salle, things were not looking good for the Avengers as the third ranked team in the state, Coventry, arrived at the castle. The Oakers were undefeated and were handling teams pretty well with only small hiccups from time to time. What Coventry didn’t see coming was Melis Kocak having a monster game, and the Avengers, having some experience now with 5-set matches, reverse sweeping the stunned Oakers.
(↑ 3) North Kingstown (5 - 1) - Skippers haven’t lost since their 3-set defeat at the hands of La Salle on the road…and that also wasn’t your normal 3-set drop. Beating the Rebels in their own barn in 4 does send a message, however. It also catapults them up to the top spot…but for how long? NK still has to traverse Coventry twice and have another dance with both La Salle and SK, but for now, the Skippers have tamed the rough seas.
(↓ 1) South Kingstown (4 - 1) - The Rebels drop from the top spot after suffering a 4-set defeat to their cross-town rivals. Bitter pill to be sure but adding insult to injury was that it was on their home court. With the parity at the top, and perhaps other teams as well, every home match matters. Cranston East and East Greenwich are up next, and D-1 will be looking to see how the defending champs respond to their first setback.
Coventry (5 - 1) - The Oakers are good. They have a lot of the pieces to the puzzle, and they can beat you in many ways. They also are pretty aware they can ball…perhaps that can lead to looking past opponents? Hard to tell as the Avengers are skilled so it isn’t a surprise that Coventry would have their hands full at the castle. Dropping a 5-set match on the road to a talented squad isn’t a deal breaker on the season and Coventry is certainly in the hunt for the ring still.
(↓ 2) La Salle Academy (5 - 1) - The Rams had a split week, but’s it’s the 5-set loss to SK that drops them in the rankings. Losing in 5 to the defending champs is not the type of thing that drops you three spots typically. However, with a 5-set win to East Greenwich prior, NK besting SK, and Coventry barely holding on the third spot, La Salle takes the fourth. Week 4 features an adventure with the Purple and then a date with Coventry. A lot can change in a week…
Chariho (5 - 0) - The Chargers had another strong week taking down Johnston in 4 and Burrillville in 3. The Johnston match held some intrigue as it was only the second set Chariho has dropped thus far. The horizon has a couple of challenges in store as a visit to Mt. Hope will be another solid puzzle while hosting Lincoln should also tell a decent story. The Chargers do hold the top spot in the ResV Systems D-2 rankings with Cumberland, Westerly, and East Providence all in chase.
East Greenwich (3 - 3) - The Avengers had a tough week 2, and week 3 was not shaping up to be a fun one either, until they hosted Coventry and obtained the upset of the week. Prior to the Oakers visiting the castle, EG had played 25 sets, more than anyone else in D-1, though Classical may not be far behind. Melis Kocak showed big with the #3 team in the state in the building with 23 kills and 6 blocks in the 5-set thriller. EG’s schedule doesn’t get easier as at the halfway point has Portsmouth and SK on deck.
Cumberland (5 - 1) - The Clippers are on a take-out tour and East Providence was the first top four team in D-2 to experience it. With a 4-set decider, the Townies were stunned at home. Cumberland then dismantled Pilgrim for a clean sheet week. Hailey Kuncz led the way offensively while Breannah Abilheira-Cargill held down the fort on the defensive end. The next two weeks appear not to cause too many problems, as the Clippers turn their gaze longingly to week 6 when take-out week goes into high gear.
Westerly (5 - 1) - The Bulldogs tasted defeat for the first time this week, but not to anyone in the league. Westerly took a trip to Fitch High School in Groton, CT. and suffered a 4-game setback. With that, the Bulldogs turned their focus back to the league and scored two vics against Burrillville and Mt. Hope. The Mt. Hope match was a no joke 5-setter that kept Westerly unblemished in RIIIL play. Lincoln and EP are next and that will be a good barometer of where this Bulldog team is at.
East Providence (7 - 1) - The Townies have more wins than anyone in the state right now. Their lone defeat against Cumberland was a 4-set grinder that featured two sets going way into extra frames and could have easily swung the other direction. The loss may be a good thing, however, as the matches prior did not test EP much. Forging on, and learning from the defeat, the Townies took care of business against EWG and then stunned Portsmouth in 5. With Westerly on the docket this week, the Townies are looking for their signature win against the top of D-2.
(↑ 2) Classical (2 - 2) - The Purple decided to play a lot of volleyball this week! They went to East Greenwich and survived the up and down Avengers in 5, and then hosted Mount Saint Charles and bested the Mounties in 5 as well. The fifth set in the MSC match finished 20-18 in the Purple’s favor! Harmony Forest and Taliyah Pereira were huge on the week averaging 2.7 kills per set (KPS) and 2.3 KPS respectively. The schedule, unkind, has Classical seeing La Salle and NK next.
Mount Saint Charles (3 - 3) - The Mounties enter the board with signature wins over East Greenwich and Cranston East, though the Classical defeat hurts. The Cranston East match was your standard 5-set affair that finished with MSC in control, however it was the Classical match that looked crazy. The scores were pretty close and then the 5th was wild going to 20 points. Mounties have Prout and NK next as the halfway point of the season arrives.
(↓ 2) Cranston East (2 - 3) - The Bolts are playing teams tough, just unable to get over the top from time to time. They have a signature win over Classical and tough loses to East Greenwich and Mount Saint Charles. The key for CE is getting the ball to Sarina Marines as often as possible. Marines can do work and needs to get 20 kills a night. With Portsmouth and SK on the docket at the halfway point, it feels like CE needs a least a split to stay in the hunt.
(↑ 2) Bay View (4 - 0) - The Tigers had one match on the mind this week and that was the matchup with Scituate. Thinking, correctly, that this would be a great test for them, Bay View passed with flying colors handing the Spartans a 4-game setback on the road. With their closest rival in their division defeated on their home ice, the Tigers have to feel good going into Week 4 where they see Tiverton and Juanita Sanchez.
Central Falls (4 - 0) - Another week, another two wins… Central Falls is handling business thus far. They’ve yet to drop a set and dispatched last year’s D-4 champs in week 2 as well. With Narragansett as the only premier win to date, a prime-time matchup with Scituate is on the docket for Week 4 and it’s on the road. The match will be the first time the two teams have seen each other since the finals last year. Plenty of motivation, to be sure, for Central Falls…
(↓ 2) Scituate (4 - 2) - The Spartans are arguably in their toughest part of their season. Hosting Bay View, after a 3-set win over Toll Gate, was probably going to tell the story of where they were at. It did. The defeat looms now as Central Falls walks through the door next. The Spartans will do what they can to hold down the fort as back-to-back loses isn’t a look they want.
Receiving Votes — Portsmouth, Middletown, Johnston, Mt. Hope, St. Raphael’s
To send season updates, stories, and players to consider…or inquire about coffee beans that Coach roasts himself, to Coach Reslow - Scott.Reslow@protonmail.com