BRISTOL/WARREN — The Mt. Hope High School girls' volleyball team reached the middle of its 18-match regular season with a 3-1 victory over visiting Cranston East Friday night, Sept. 27. The Division II Huskies improved their record to 4-5 overall with the 21-25, 25-13, 25-17 and 25-16 defeat of the D-I Thunderbolts.

Leah Marshall led the locals with 10 kills and also added six seven digs. Sarah Wilcox had six kills and 15 assists. Ahna Rozea had 14 helpers and Mia Hansen chipped in a dozen digs.

"We've been super competitive," MHHS head coach Lisa Lunney said of her team's first half. "We've faced some adversity. We haven't had the same lineup for more than two matches in a row due to illness or injury. But we're pushing through."

The Huskies have another D-I win over Cranston West and a narrow five-set loss (15-12) to top-tier side Portsmouth. The win over the 'Bolts ended a brief, two-match skid when Mt. Hope was shutout by both Barrington and Cumberland.

"What I can say is we're deep. We have a lot of players. This is as deep as my bench has ever gone, but we're missing some pieces. Well, I wouldn't say we're missing pieces as much as we need to tweak some pieces..."We're rolling with it. And I'm telling you, if anyone has counted us out, they've made a big mistake. But we do have to get through this piece we're in right now."

Two missing pieces late last week were the Huskies' two setters in Lunney's 6-2 formation: Her daughter, sophomore Gianna Lunney and freshman Hayden Sylvia. Sylvia was first to be beset by injury and then Lunney, who was making the switch from an All-Division hitter to helper, went down with an ankle ailment.

It's led Coach Lunney to employ what she terms a "very modified system" while taking advantage of her squad's versatility and depth, a roster she says in the deepest she's had at Mt. Hope.

Like the younger Lunney, All-Division hitter Wilcox, a junior, is being employed at the defensive-oriented "libero" spot. Hansen, a senior and usually solely a back-row defender, is also seeing time at libero. Rozea, a junior, is helming most of the setting chores at the moment. Seniors Savannah Murray and Daniela DeSano are getting minutes defensively in the back.

Marshall, a junior about whom Lunney says is a having a "beast of a year," leads the outside hitters along with senior Margherita Dellolio . Senior Abigail Allen has been moved in the middle to help offset some of the missing. Freshman Peyton Winn is also seeing meaningful minutes.

"We're mixing it up. I've had to be very creative in how we're staying competitive in matches," Lunney added. "But we're only halfway through the season, so if anyone is counting us they're sorely mistaken. As long as I get everybody healthy, this is exactly where we need to be.

"I think defensively we've played phenomenal. Until we get everybody healthy we're just kind of piecing things together. We're trying to ride our strengths to what I hope are some wins until people get back and healthy. But I'm pumped for what's ahead of this team."