O’Connell reaches milestone as Bedford girls volleyball beats Nashua North

BEDFORD – There was a magic number Tuesday evening for Bedford High School’s Riley O’Connell.

The senior girls volleyball player reached the 500-kill milestone, a feat not many accomplish. Balloons, posters, and banners filled the gymnasium in celebration, as the expectation was that O’Connell would be celebrating postgame.

Not only was O’Connell celebrating individually, but her team continued its undefeated season Tuesday evening by sweeping all three sets over Nashua North.

Bedford is now 14-0 this fall, with only four games left in the regular season. Nashua North sits at 9-6. North is also on a three-game losing streak, and the Titans next matchup vs. Exeter will be crucial in regard to postseason eligibility. 

Bedford will face Concord next, which will be a challenging matchup. Concord currently sits at 10-3 and is eyeing a playoff spot. 

From the moment Bedford’s squad got into position on the court, the Bulldogs confidence shined bright. As a team, the Bulldogs were in sync from the moment the first ball went over the net. The first set went by relatively fast, as Bedford played smart both offensively and defensively. 

On the net, Bedford senior Lana McCarthy was unstoppable. Her quickness and focus were very difficult for North to compete against. Blocking was her strength and it spread amongst the team. 

Set two was an improvement for the Titans. Their style of play slowly started to mold as a team. Additionally, during this Bedford made a few mistakes that cost it points like balls being hit out of bounds or not getting over the net. North took advantage of this but Bedford still dominated and won the set. 

The third set of a volleyball matchup always has a different storyline, one team could be looking to get its third win and take the matchup, the game could be tied and someone needed to break it, or a team who lost the first two sets could seek revenge. Bedford was looking ahead toward the win, while North was in survival mode.

Bedford’s confidence was on display once again, and it guided the Bulldogs through the third set. The team’s demeanor was focused on power. Multiple times during the third Bedford spiked the ball hard, leaving North to scramble. The Titans were forcefully put on defense while Bedford was red-hot scoring-wise. 

This dynamic continued for the remainder of the game, and it eventually led Bedford to give their subs an opportunity to play. The third set was also interrupted by O’Connell’s 500th kill, which paused the game and included a standing ovation.