Hopedale girls volleyball wrapped a strong regular season at 14-6 and earned the No. 1 seed in Division 5, a position that grants the Blue Raiders a bye in the Round of 32. That bye sends Hopedale into the next round, where it will meet the winner of No. 33 Academy of the Pacific Rim vs. No. 32 Brighton.
The Blue Raiders closed the regular slate with a 3-0 win over Millis and finished 7-3 over their last 10 matches, with setbacks to strong programs Medway, Bellingham, and BVT. Those losses provide context for a team that nonetheless outperformed many peers and earned top billing in the bracket.
Hopedale returns several veterans and will lean on senior leadership, Phoebe Carroll among them, as the Raiders attempt to advance deeper than last year’s quarterfinal exit. The team’s balance and experience position it to make a sustained run, but playoff matchups will require Hopedale to maintain focus and intensity on both sides of the net.
As postseason play nears, Hopedale’s preparation will center on execution, serving consistency and defensive communication, the same elements that earned them a top seed and realistic hopes for a title.
