It took almost a month for Mohawk Trail Regional High School to win its first match of the season.
Now, the Warriors are preparing for their first postseason appearance in five years.
The Warriors completed one of the biggest turnarounds in area history Thursday evening by posting a 25-12, 25-20, 25-23 Northern Division girls’ volleyball win over Greenfield High School on an eventful Senior Night in Buckland.
The win vaulted Mohawk (9-8 overall, 6-4 North) into the Western Massachusetts Division III Volleyball Tournament, four weeks removed from an 0-7 start that made the postseason all but an afterthought.
However, a 3-0 win over Franklin County Technical School started the Warriors on a stretch of 9 wins in their next 10 matches, and they closed with four consecutive wins to earn their postseason invitation.
What made this night even more surreal, according to head coach Katelyn Gaffigan Gamelli, was the fact that two players were late arriving due to the snowy conditions.
“Being Senior Night, it was emotional already,” said the coach. “All the girls are so excited to make it. They have worked so hard.
“This team has realized its potential, and now they’re ready to show everyone what they’re made of.”
Olivia Dubrule led the Warriors to the critical win with 6 kills, 23 digs and 3 aces. She also provided a huge momentum-building play early in the first set.
“She made an amazing diving play to save a ball before hitting the wall,” said Gaffigan Gamelli. “We were able to get the ball back over (the net), and Greenfield was unable to return the ball, so we got the point. That really got the girls pumped up. She was the star of the game.”
McKenzie Mayhew collected 7 kills, 15 digs and 3 aces, and Hayley Lowell added 14 digs and 4 aces for Mohawk.
Molley Duclos led the Green Wave with 8 kills, 6 aces, 4 digs and a 1 block. Amy Muniz dished out 12 assists, and Emily Maloney finished with 3 kills, 3 aces, 3 digs and 1 assist.
The Western Mass. Tournament seeds will be released on Tuesday morning.