Athol was not able to break out of their rough patch on Monday as the team picked up their fourth straight loss. They were a single set away from ending the streak, but they lost a 3-2 heartbreaker at the hands of the Pioneer Valley Christian Eagles. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Bears of the 3-0 defeat they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in April of 2024.
In a back-and-forth that saw neither team win consecutive sets, Athol sadly dropped the once that decided the match. Once all was said and done, the final score wound up at 25-22, 18-25, 25-19, 26-28, 15-8.
Aiden Desreuisseau paced Athol's offense, picking up 17 kills. Desreuisseau got some help from Landon Collins and his 40 assists. Finally, Collins was also a dominant defender, finishing with a team-high three blocks.
Athol's loss dropped their record down to 1-4. As for Pioneer Valley Christian, they pushed their record up to 3-0 with the victory, which was their seventh straight at home dating back to last season.
Looking ahead, Athol will take on Southwick Regional at 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday. Pioneer Valley Christian will be paying especially close attention to the Bears' match: after the Bears faces off against Sci-Tech, they'll take on Pioneer Valley Christian again at 5:15 p.m. on the 28th.
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