Girls Volleyball Serves Up Win in Home Opener

Brookline girls volleyball head coach Mike Frank is a believer.

"We're up there with anyone in my opinion. I think we can beat anybody," Frank said, after his Warriors swept visiting Milton, 3-0 (25-7, 25-23, 25-6), in their home opener last night in Bay State Conference play at Brookline High's Tappan Gym. "It's just a matter of putting it all together."

Frank is entering his fourth season at the helm, and the last three of those campaigns met with strong state tourney runs. Last year, the Warriors posted a 12-4 regular season record and advanced to the Division 1 North sectionals, before succumbing to North Quincy in the second round.

Last night, the Warriors (1-1) powered their way on the strength of junior setter Jamie Francona's serve and junior Maya Midzik's dominating front-row play.

Francona was at the line when Brookline rode to a 9-0 lead in the opening tilt, was there again when the Warriors clinched the first game, and yet again when Brookline built a 7-0 lead in the finale.

"She's a good server, she's a good all-around player," Frank said of Francona. 

On the night, Francona, served six aces and totaled 28 assists. And she set up sophomore hitter Allison Brailey for the clincher in the tightly contested second game, which featured 12 ties.

Midzik, meanwhile, led the Warriors with 15 kills, including a pair of jolting slams late in the third game that all but sealed the match. She also proved dominant in the second game with a kill that got Brookline back on track after Milton took a 14-12 lead, and another that broke a 19-19 knot.

Junior hitter Marie Fleming added solid support with seven kills and a team-high six digs.

The victory followed a tough 3-1 loss to Dual County League powerhouse Lincoln-Sudbury in the season opener.

"That was just a good match between two good teams that kept punching at each other," Frank said.