By Liam O’Brien
Managing Editor of Sports
The defending state champion Lions began their quest for a second consecutive title with a convincing victory on Friday afternoon behind 12 kills from senior Michael Horenstein, sweeping all three sets against Dual-County League rival Lincoln-Sudbury.
South made quick work of the Warriors in front of a packed Field House, taking the first set by a margin of 25-8, the second set 25-16, and the final set 25-17.
“We passed well and played smart, which helped us to get the win,” junior Eli Braginsky said.
After capturing the first two sets with relative ease, South battled a resurgence from LS in the final set when they tied the set up at 11-11. South then responded with a 14-6 run to clinch the victory and its first win of the season.
“We had a couple lapses mentally but we dialed it in and focused on the task at hand,” Braginsky said, “so that allowed us to end their run and pull away.”
Though it was a team effort, there were a few standouts throughout the match. In addition to Horenstein’s 12 kills, senior captain Jared Chin had 28 of the team’s 29 assists, while fellow senior captain Jonathan Lee added ten digs.
“Michael Horenstein had a really good game, and our middles played well throughout,” Braginsky said.
The 1-0 Lions continue their title defense in just a few days, hosting DCL foe Westford Academy on Tuesday afternoon.
