Nipmuc’s boys volleyball team found itself in a tougher battle yesterday afternoon, but the Warriors still came away with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Shrewsbury. After two straight dominant victories over Doherty and King Philip, this matchup gave Nipmuc a real test, and the Warriors had to dig deep to finish the job.
Nipmuc took the first two sets 25-19 and 25-21 before Shrewsbury pushed back by winning the third and fourth sets 12-25 and 23-25. That forced a decisive fifth set, where the Warriors held their nerve and won 18-16 to seal the match. It was the kind of close finish that showed Nipmuc can win even when the rhythm is not as smooth as it has been in earlier matches.
Adriano Caricchio had 12 kills and four blocks, Brayden Crandall added 19 kills, two aces, and three blocks, and Callan Fitch contributed 22 digs and two aces. Those performances gave Nipmuc the balance it needed to survive the extended match and keep its winning streak alive.
The victory improves Nipmuc to 8-1, an impressive mark as the Warriors continue to play strong volleyball. They will return to the court next Thursday against Saint John’s at 12:30 p.m. Saint John’s is 4-5 and is coming off a 3-0 win over Catholic Memorial, so Nipmuc will need to be ready for another competitive matchup.
