Gabriella Kuper recorded 10 kills and Arianna Tu served six aces as Needham girls volleyball swept Walpole 25-15, 25-19, 25-6 on Thursday, Oct. 15.
The Rockets improved to 9-3 overall and remained unbeaten in Bay State Conference Herget division play at 6-0, according to MaxPreps.
Kuper delivered six kills in the opening set. Sloane Seidman and Tu each finished with four kills, while Claire Shields served four consecutive aces in the third set, Needham Local reported.
Walpole briefly led 6-4 in the first set before Needham scored five straight points and pulled away.
The Timberwolves challenged again in the second, using a 5-1 run to take a one-point lead. With the teams tied at 18, Needham scored three straight points to force a Walpole timeout, then closed the set 25-19.
The Rockets controlled the final set, allowing just six points to complete the sweep of winless Walpole.
Four wins in five matches
Needham has won four of its past five matches, including an Oct. 6 five-set victory over Newton North that ended a seven-match losing streak against the Tigers.
The Rockets rallied from an 8-2 deficit in the deciding set to win 17-15, securing their first victory over Newton North since 2022, according to Needham Local.
Captain Lilian Soulia said afterward that the result reinforced the team’s confidence in its ability to compete with strong opponents.
Needham stood at No. 8 in the MIAA Division 1 power rankings released Friday, Oct. 16, based on results entered through 4 a.m.
Road-heavy finish ahead
The Rockets travel to Newton South on Friday, Oct. 16, for a 6:30 p.m. Dig Pink match benefiting the Side-Out Foundation, which supports breast cancer research and care.
Six of Needham’s seven remaining regular-season matches are on the road. The lone home match is Tuesday, Oct. 27, against Framingham at 5:15 p.m.
The remaining away schedule includes Milton, Braintree, Newton North, Chelmsford and Natick after Friday’s visit to Newton South.
