RallyNorth.net

LAWRENCE — For Andover volleyball coach George Sullivan it all proved to be all too symetrical.

The top-seeded Golden Warriors remained perfect on the season and advanced to the state semifinal for the second time in three years with a convincing sweep over sixth-seeded North Andover last night at Lawrence High School.

North Andover's surging volleyball routed Beverly in Division 1 quarterfinal action last night and will now host Central Catholic in the semifinals tomorrow, a team that handed the Knights (17-5) three of their five regular-season losses. Andrea King was a force serving against Beverly with 16 points, including six aces.

The balanced North Andover volleyball team defeated former archrival Masconomet in four games, with four different players sharing the stat sheet as the Knights won the last three games. Micaela Donatio led the 13-4 Knights in kills (16) and blocks (2), Kiera Lee was tops in assists (10) while Andrea Levy had eight service points and Kaylee Lambrinos had 22 digs.

For the second time this year, Andover won a 5-set thriller over North Andover. In the 15-0 Game 5 win, the 14-0 Golden Warriors got stellar play from Lauren Gibson, Lauren Murtagh and Azita Bakhtiari.

Erin Cox led North Andover with 30 assists, 13 service points and 14 digs as the Knights (7-2) defeated Methuen 3-1. Alicia Miller had 11 kills and 10 blocks for Methuen.

North Andover outfought Lynnfield in the fourth game, winning 28-26, to deal Lynnfield its first volleyball defeat, 3-1. Erin Cox was an effective playmaker with 27 assists while Kaylee Labrinos had 24 digs in the victory.