WORCESTER—The Burncoat girls volleyball team has been almost perfect this fall, reeling off a 13-1 record in 14 matches. The only loss for the Patriots was a 3-1 setback at Inter-High rival South back on September 16.
Since that loss, the team has been unbeaten, winning eight straight matches and outscoring its opponents 24-3.
Even more impressive, Burncoat has won 40 of 46 individual games, a success rate of 87 percent. The Patriots dropped five games in two early-season matches with South and lost two games at Blackstone Millville on October 11. The team lost single games to Worcester Tech and Notre Dame. Outside of those five matches, the team has recorded nine dominating shutouts.
Sitting within the top 30 teams for Division 3 in the latest Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) power rankings, Burncoat is poised to make a strong run in the state tournament.
So what’s been the driving force behind the team’s success? The green and white has been uniquely powered this season by another green and white entity in the city—Wingstop, and its 12 flavors of delicious chicken wings. Whether it’s sweet BBQ blaze, mango habanero or lemon pepper, it has all added up to a winning recipe for Burncoat volleyball this fall.
“We all love it, its’ so good,” said libero Isabella Scheidegger, who serves as a tri-captain with Kasie Vuong and Charlotte Dancy.
“We chow down on it,” added Dancy, an outside hitter. “If you bring us a whole thing of Wingstop it’s gone!”
Eating together and having fun are just a few of the many ways the Patriots have bonded as a team over the past few seasons.
“Our team chemistry is really good this year. We’re not only teammates but we’re all friends,” noted Scheidegger. “We hang out together outside of volleyball. We’re like a family.”
Several team members also play together for the Dragons Volleyball Club outside of the high school season which allows them to practice and compete in volleyball nearly all year.
“We are very fortunate to have a bunch of good kids,” said head coach Phil Malette, who also coaches the boys volleyball team at Burncoat and within the Dragons club program.
Unity and togetherness have been themes for the Patriots as they once again stand at the top of the Inter-High standings (5-1) for the second straight season. Advancing to the state tournament and winning has been a goal for the team since last season when they were defeated at Triton in the opening round.
“We all push each other to play better. I think we can go really far this year,” said Vuong, an outside hitter and the lone senior on the team.
“We motivate each other,” added Dancy. “It’s not just one person.”
On Oct. 9, Burncoat motivated the community by hosting its annual “pink out” game against Abby Kelley in support of breast cancer awareness. The team competed in custom pink shirts and a table was setup to collect donations.
The Patriots earned a quick 3-0 win over the Bears led by nine kills and six aces from Dancy. Setter Daymarie Zeno added 25 assists.
Malette has organized this annual event at Burncoat for the last six years in memory of his grandmother who passed away from cancer. The players enjoyed participating in such an important and meaningful cause.
“I know people that have had breast cancer and it’s very life changing,” said Dancy.
Mike Vigneux is a freelance writer in Worcester with more than 20 years of experience in the fields of municipal government, communications, and public relations. An avid fan of all sports, Mike enjoys telling the stories of local athletes and their teams. He holds two degrees from Clark University, a bachelor of arts in Communication and a master of science in Professional Communication. He can be reached at Mikevigs@gmail.com
