The top-seeded Bourne High School girls volleyball team celebrates after winning the Division 5 State Championship on Thursday, Nov. 14, in Worcester. The Bourne High School varsity team defeated second-ranked Whitinsville Christian in the championship final, 3-0. (Photo courtesy Bourne Public Schools)
BOURNE — Superintendent Kerri Anne Quinlan-Zhou, Bourne High School Principal Lisa Maguire and Athletic Director Scott Ashworth are pleased to share that the Bourne High School Canalmen are now state volleyball champions.
The top-seeded Bourne girls team (20-5) defeated the second-ranked Whitinsville Christian School 3-0 in the Division 5 State Championship final held on Nov. 14 in Worcester. The 2024 championship is the fifth in Bourne High School volleyball history and its first since 2018, following a heartbreak loss for the team when it reached the state finals last season.
Upon their arrival in Bourne on the bus ride home, the purple and white were greeted by an escort of town police cruisers and fire engines, with fans waiting outside in the freezing cold on Main Street cheering for the newly crowned volleyball champions.
“We’re a volleyball community,” said Head Coach David Moore. “We had a lot of fans on Main Street, even though it was bitterly cold. They were out there screaming and hollering. That was a great reception. We’ve been receiving texts from families, friends and colleagues. It’s been amazing.”
Coach Moore credited his 14-athlete roster for their commitment to teamwork and a process-oriented approach, rather than just personal achievements and results, as Bourne garnered a 15-5 season record before notching five straight playoff wins.
“It’s not just about being good on the court,” Coach Moore said. “The focus was becoming a true team, together, supporting each other and growing in our skills on the court as well. It’s about being good with one another. That’s been the theme of the whole season.”
Coach Moore said he expects the Canalmen to vie for another state champion next year, as a core group of six juniors return for their final year of high school.
“We’ll definitely go into the season feeling pretty confident we can compete, anyways,” Coach Moore said. “That’s what you want to do, compete. The thrill of competition brings out the best in the kids.”
The 2024 championship Bourne volleyball team included seniors Carley May, Hannah Petrillo, Reese Williams; juniors Lily Russell, Michaela Muldoon, Avery Morrill, Nola Timo, Madelyn Rossignol, and Sofia Halunen; sophomores Emily Souto, Maddalyn Ivy, Mia Lowden, Juliet Kelly; and freshman Arianna McCarthy.
In addition to Head Coach David Moore, the Bourne High School volleyball team was led by Assistant Coach Kassie Lee, along with Freshman Coach Nealyn Dunlop, Junior Varsity Coach Kara Russell and Team Manager Ava Look, a junior at the high school.
Coach Moore also commended the Bourne volleyball champions for their “mental toughness,” fighting hard together even when they were five points behind during the final match, rallying back to secure the state title without allowing their opponents to extend the game.
“We were not giving up,” said Coach Moore, while also commending Whitinsville Christian. “We worked ourselves back into it. That’s a championship quality, this ability to play well together and know that you’re never knocked out.”
Superintendent Kerri Anne Quinlan-Zhou commended the varsity volleyball team, along with its coaches, for pulling off the big victory and once again making the community proud. The championship comes after the team earned the 2024 American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award, recognizing team members for maintaining a year-long grade-point average of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale during the past academic year.
“We’re thrilled to congratulate our exceptional student-athletes on the Bourne High School girls volleyball team,” Superintendent Quinlan-Zhou said. “This championship title serves as a testament to the hard work, dedication and team spirit that these players have shown on and off the court. On behalf of the entire BPS community, I congratulate our champions for their well-deserved victory.”
###
The top-seeded Bourne High School girls volleyball team celebrated after winning the Division 5 State Championship on Thursday, Nov. 14, in Worcester. The Bourne varsity team defeated the second-ranked Whitinsville Christian in the championship final by a 3-0 margin. (Photo courtesy Bourne Public Schools)