Case beats Newburyport in five sets after losing a two-set lead, returns to Division 3 semifinals

SWANSEA Case had watched a two-set lead disappear when the fifth set started Friday night, and the Cardinals scored the first four points of it and never gave the lead back, beating Newburyport 15-10 in the deciding set to reach the state semifinals for the second straight year.

No. 4 Case beat No. 5 Newburyport 3-2 in the MIAA Division 3 girls volleyball quarterfinals at Joseph Case High School in Swansea, according to the MIAA tournament bracket, with set scores of 26-24, 25-13, 23-25, 20-25 and 15-10 on the NFHS Network broadcast of the match. The Cardinals (19-4) will play the winner of Saturday's 5 p.m. quarterfinal between No. 1 Bellingham and No. 8 Pembroke in the semifinals, according to the MIAA bracket.

Case had not lost a set in the tournament before Friday, sweeping No. 36 Norwell and No. 13 Lynn Classical at home.

The fifth set

Case won the first four points, and it was 8-3 when the teams changed ends. The Cardinals pushed the lead to 11-5 and 12-7 before Newburyport won two straight points to get within 12-9.

Case won the next two points for a 14-9 match point. Newburyport saved one to make it 14-10, and the Cardinals took the next point to end the match.

How the first four sets went

Case led the first set 9-8 early and 20-15 late, Newburyport came back to lead 24-22, and Case saved both set points to tie it 24-24 before taking the next two points and the set, 26-24.

Newburyport led the second set 4-1 early before the Cardinals went in front 10-7 and 15-11, and they ran away from there, 21-12 and then 24-12 before closing it 25-13.

Newburyport answered in the third, leading 8-5, 14-10 and 19-15 before Case tied it 21-21, and Newburyport scored two straight to lead 23-21. Case got within 24-23 after Newburyport reached set point, and the Clippers took the next point, 25-23.

The fourth set was tied at 7-7 and 8-8 and 11-11, and Newburyport went ahead 13-11 and 17-13. Case got back within 17-15 and 19-17, the Clippers scored four straight to lead 23-17, and Case saved one set point at 24-19 before Newburyport closed it 25-20 to force a fifth set.

The rematch and the season

It was the second straight November that the two teams met in the Division 3 quarterfinals in Swansea. Last year Case, the No. 3 seed, swept Newburyport 25-19, 25-17, 25-20, according to the MaxPreps box score, and went on to the final, where it lost to Bellingham 3-1, according to the MIAA's 2025 bracket.

Our preview of Friday's quarterfinal has more on both teams and last year's meeting.

Case finished second in the South Coast Conference at 12-1 and came into Friday with sophomore outside hitter Lily Rego leading the team in kills (265) and aces (68), sophomore Willow Andree adding 180 kills, junior setter Madyson Silva with 598 assists and senior libero Madisyn Mendonca with 174 digs, on the season stats on Case's MaxPreps page, last updated Oct. 31.

Newburyport, coached by Lori Solazzo, finishes 19-4 as well, after going 12-1 in the Cape Ann League. The Clippers were led this season by senior Gabriella Vigeant, who reached 500 career kills in Newburyport's first tournament match, a 3-0 win over Greater Lowell, according to The Boston Globe, with senior Ava Bailey leading the team in blocks, senior Sawyer Frosk setting and sophomore Finley Seymour leading the back row.

What comes next

If top-seeded Bellingham beats Pembroke on Saturday, Case would get a rematch of its Oct. 1 home loss to the Blackhawks, 3-1, after it won the first set 26-24. The other semifinal pairs No. 2 Old Rochester, which swept No. 10 Groton-Dunstable on Friday, with No. 3 Lynnfield, so Case and its South Coast Conference rival could meet only in the state final.

Label: Reported by us, from the town's posted records.