Wildcats are hopeful to make the tournament, despite recent 3-2 loss to Diman

Story and photos by Richard W Dionne Jr
Posted 10/17/18

The Westport girls volleyball team was decked out in pink uniforms during their breast cancer awareness game on Friday evening. The Cats lost to Diman 3-2. The loss drops the team’s record to 7-7 …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Wildcats are hopeful to make the tournament, despite recent 3-2 loss to Diman

Posted

The Westport girls volleyball team was decked out in pink uniforms during their breast cancer awareness game on Friday evening. The Cats lost to Diman 3-2. The loss drops the team’s record to 7-7 overall.

This was a big game for Westport as they are on the cusp of making the tournament.

Five year varsity Head Coach Michael King said that Wildcats are a young team.

“We start two eighth graders, two ninth graders and a couple of seniors,” he said.

“We are very close to tournament bound. We just got a few more to go. The goal is to get there.”

The Cats have three senior captains, Erin Carney, Sydney Pacheco and Sophie Pawlak.

“Sydney Pacheco my setter has been phenomenal this year,” said coach King. “She’s averaging close to 14 assists per game. She has nine service points and five aces for the year. She also hits and averages two or three kills a game.”

“I’m like the quarterback of the team,” said Pacheco. “I’m the middle man between the pass and the hit.”

“She’s such an instrumental part of the team, said Sophie Pawlak.

“She gets to every loose ball and is across the court in seconds. The ball is in the air and there’s Sydney setting up the pass,” Pawlak said.

“Sophie Pawlak plays middle hitter,” said coach King. “She averages eight kills per game with four blocks.”

The Wildcats have five seniors on the team, with two sophomores and a bunch of freshman and middle school players.

“There’s such a great age difference, said Erin Carney. “At the same time, at practice it’s sometimes not noticeable.”

Pawlak agreed, “The young girls are very talented and work well with the upperclassmen.”

“We have such a great relationship with each other,” said Carney. “We are all friends and we are all learning together.”

“It’s amazing to see everyone’s smiles everyday and It’s exciting to see us grow and develop as the season goes on,” Carney said.

Carney said that coach King has the team practice volleyball basics.

“That’s just going to make us better as a team,” Carney said.

Freshman Paige Churchill is a standout defender according to coach King.

“She’s my big defender, he said.

Carney and the seniors are hopeful to make the playoffs.

“I’m excited for the rest of the season,” she said. “It’s our last year. Us five seniors are very close. It’s going to be a great way to end the season.”

“We have to play hard and just keep working, said Pawlak. “We are going to be tenacious and not give up.”

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
MIKE REGO

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.