Salem boys volleyball continues run of dominance in sweep of Hollis Brookline

SALEM – The Salem High School boys volleyball team is the real deal.

The Blue Devils routed visiting Hollis Brookline, 3-0, on Friday evening, as they have now swept seven straight opponents, dating back to April 15.

Salem currently sits at 8-1 with its lone loss coming at the hands of undefeated Windham (9-0), 3-2, on April 12. On Friday, the Blue Devils were led by the exceptional play of senior captain Alexander Stift (nine kills), senior captain Roman Fabrizio (16 assists, nine service points), senior Noah Bourassa (eight digs) and senior captain Benjamin Laycock (five kills, two blocks).

“We played really well from start to finish,” Salem coach John Roemer said. “We played aggressive from the beginning and limited our mistakes. We are really starting to flow and get into our system. Our passing has gotten better, and people are starting to jell together.”

Salem did not waste any time flexing its muscles, racing out to a 5-0 lead in the first set with four straight service points by Fabrizio – three of which were aces. The Devils took a 10-5 lead on two straight kills by Stift, and then an ace off the top of the net by senior Anthony Bellomo made the score, 11-5.

“Alexander Stift played really well (Friday),” said Roemer. “He passed well and hit well. He was on fire (Friday). He is getting better every single game this year. He is starting to get more confident. When he is confident, he is lights out.”

A perfectly executed set by Fabrizio allowed senior Jarrett Dennis to register a kill at the net, giving the hosts a 17-8 lead. The unit captured Game 1, 25-9, ending the set on an 11-1 run after a kill by Cavaliers junior captain Matthew Wozcik made it a 14-8 game.

In Game 2, HB (4-3), which came into the match riding a three-game winning streak, took a couple early leads of 1-0 and 2-1. Salem immediately responded with a 5-0 push, as back-to-back aces by Dennis gave the Blue Devils a 6-2 edge. A kill down the right sideline by Bellomo extended Salem’s lead to 18-9, and then it closed out a 25-13 second-set victory with the clinching point coming off a serving error by the Cavaliers.

During the first two sets, Salem did not allow HB to score more than two points in a row, as the visitors were only able to score consecutive points three times in the opening two sets. The Blue Devils have been hungry all season – led by the desire of their 10 seniors, as the team has only lost four sets all year.

“The seniors know this is their chance to play hard and work hard every practice,” said Roemer. “Last year, (losing in the first round of the NHIAA Tournament) was a disappointment for them. This year is their redemption year. They play every game hard, and hopefully that will lead to something else.”

In the third set, the Cavaliers were more competitive, racing out to a 6-5 lead, but like they did all night, the Blue Devils answered by stringing points together. A 6-0 run put the hosts in front, 11-6, and Laycock closed out the match with back-to-back service points, sending Salem to a 25-18 third-set triumph.

The wins and sweeps are piling up, but there is always room for improvement.

“We still got to work on passing and blocking, and a lot of little things,” said Roemer. “We got to fine-tune some things that we have not completely fine-tuned yet.”

The Blue Devils and Cavaliers will be back in action on Monday, as Salem will travel to Goffstown for a 5:30 p.m. match and the Cavaliers will host Mascenic at 5:45 p.m.