The first two sets gave Cumberland room to breathe. The third made the Clippers work for the finish.
Cumberland volleyball earned a 3–0 sweep of Chariho, taking the opening sets 25–16 and 25–12 before closing out a much tighter third, 25–21. Chariho kept that final set competitive, but Cumberland found the answers when the match was there to be finished.
Darryl Ashilaka, Lyla Parmentier, Jolee Farquharson, Gulianna Hasenfus, and Ashley Asermely stood out in the Clippers’ effort. Ashilaka’s attacking supplied some of the sharpest finishes, but those opportunities depended on the recovery work and sets that kept Cumberland in position to swing.
Ashilaka finished with 16 kills, one ace and four digs. Bowie Legend added eight kills, two aces and two blocks, while Hasenfus contributed 12 digs and three aces. The numbers reflected Cumberland’s work on both sides of the ball, from finishing attacks to keeping the next opportunity alive.
Chariho opened the third with three straight points. Cumberland responded with three of its own, with Ashilaka supplying force at the net as teammates kept the ball alive and built opportunities for her to attack. An ace then pushed the Clippers ahead, 4–3.
There was no easy separation from there.
Chariho’s low, flat serves challenged Cumberland’s first touch, dropping quickly after clearing the net. Gulianna Hasenfus read that flight well, getting underneath the ball and lifting it into play so her teammates could build the next attack. That work helped keep difficult serves from becoming easy Chariho points. Well-placed tips gave the Clippers another look to account for at the net, and both teams extended rallies with recoveries that turned seemingly finished points into another exchange. Cumberland adjusted to one repeated attacking fake and won the ensuing battle at the net—a small answer in a set full of them.
The Clippers eventually stretched their lead to 16–12, with Parmentier handling the serving duties during that stretch. Chariho answered with four consecutive points to draw even.
From there, neither side could get comfortable. Cumberland moved ahead 19–17, only for Chariho to take the next three points and grab a 20–19 lead.
That was the opening Cumberland closed.
The Clippers answered with three straight points, including a rally in which their recovery work kept the opportunity alive before they finished for a 22–20 advantage. Chariho pulled within one, but Cumberland took the next three. A strong put-back helped bring up match point, and the Clippers finished the job on the following rally.
Six of the final seven points belonged to Cumberland.
The set scores tell the story of a sweep. That final stretch tells how the Clippers secured it: keeping plays alive, responding when Chariho pushed back, and putting the match away together.
Cumberland’s next match is scheduled at Classical on Wednesday, October 14, at 6:30 p.m., followed by a trip to Cranston West on Thursday, October 15, at the same time. With three matches in three days, the Clippers will look to carry that recovery work and composure into the next two stops as they work to finish the season strong.
Player statistics: The Providence Journal’s October 14 roundup, via AOL.
Upcoming schedule: MaxPreps. Times Eastern.