Burlington Central sweeps Hampshire

The season-opening girls volleyball match had all the typical ingredients of first-contest jitters for both teams.

But Burlington Central had all the answers to conclude its match against Hampshire at home on Wednesday, closing out the Whip-Purs with a 19-3 run to win in straight sets, 25-18 and 25-16.

The nervous energy, multiple violations and unforced errors that characterized the opening game were a distant memory by the time Central senior setter Jess Emrich served 10 consecutive second-game points to engineer the Rockets’ comeback from a 13-6 deficit.

“We started to make some plays defensively (during the unanswered run),” Central coach Marv Leavitt said. “That and Jess’ serving turned around the (second) game.”

Lauren Peltonen was the heroine of the Rockets’ newfound defensive prowess.

The junior outside hitter had 4 blocks for kills during the run and offensive stalwart Lexie Bouza — a team-high 9 kills — and junior Jenna Schudel combined for 3 more block-kills during the Rockets’ turnaround.

“It really helped us to keep that run going,” Peltonen said of the Rockets’ front-row blocking. “Once we got the momentum back, there was no stopping us.”

“Learning to play from behind is an important skill,” Leavitt said.

Emrich had an ace to slice the Rockets’ disadvantage to 13-12, and Schudel forced the final tie of the match with a block-kill on the ensuing point.

The Whips surrendered the lead for good on a hitting error; Lauren Wiltsie, who tied teammate Allie O’Reilly with 11 digs, later had back-to-back winners as part of her 6-kill evening to up the Rockets’ lead to 23-16.

Bouza served out the final 3 points of the match, following another Hampshire hitting miscue with a clean ace to the back of the Whips’ far-right corner for the clinching point.

“I think we brought it together,” Bouza said of the Rockets’ second-game early deficit. “(The run) just came together naturally. Jess’ (service) run really helped us. I was so excited for that (final ace).”

In the opening game, Hampshire (0-1) held a single lead at 2-1 after consecutive points.

But Central (1-0) responded with the next 3 points, soon doubling up the first-game cushion to the Whips’ total by scoring 12 of the first 18 points for a 12-6 lead.

New Hampshire coach Andrew Lindley called timeout after Central extended its lead to 20-12, and Hampshire was given new life when Julianna Gass’ 4-point serving outburst, the last punctuated by an ace, brought Hampshire to within 20-17.

There would be no final reprieve for Hampshire, though, as Tori Settanni, a senior middle hitter, had a game-icing kill after Bouza brought the team to game point with one of her team-high kills two points earlier.

“Lexie is going to be our big gun,” Leavitt said of the Rockets’ dangerous southpaw. “We’re expecting a big season from her.” Central was without the services of four-year varsity member Hannah Yoder, who injured her right ankle in warm-ups.

“We’re hoping it’s not serious,” Leavitt said.

Hampshire was led by Jen Dumoulin with a match-high 10 kills.

“We’re not ready to get going yet,” Lindley said. “We got a little gun shy at that point (of the Rockets’ second-game run). We weren’t swinging aggressively.”