Last modified: Friday, November 14, 2008 1:54 AM EST Run ends for Feehan volleyball BY PETER GOBIS SUN CHRONICLE STAFF MILFORD - They had a two-point lead in the very first game (4-2), tied things once (at 1-1) in the second game and never owned a lead, nor tied the match in the third game. Suffice to say it was less than a stellar performance by the normally superb Bishop Feehan High volleyball team Thursday at Milford High. "They don't make mistakes, they dug out everything," related Bishop Feehan High senior captain Jacki Atkinson as the Shamrocks were struck down 3-0 by Medfield in the MIAA Division 2 State Tournament semifinal round, bowing by margins of 25-11, 25-15 and 25-10. "We worked hard it, we didn't bring our 'A' game," said Bishop Feehan coach Joe Reardon, whose Division 2 South Sectional champion Shamrocks (21-2) had their 15-match win streak snapped - the last loss being a four-game decision at home to Medfield. "The way that we prepared, no matter who we played, these kids have been battle-tested," offered Medfield coach Jack Hastings, whose Division 2 Central Sectional champion Warriors (22-2) were never seriously challenged by Bishop Feehan. "Our game was that they were not going to get points on service, we needed to do well passing the ball and we didn't want the ball in No. 9's (Amy Lepley) hands." Medfield took control of the first game when Jessica McLeod stepped to the service line and accounted for six straight points and a 12-5 Warrior lead. During that run, Medfield's prime-time players - senior captain Melissa Haskell (two kills) and senior captain Caitlin Barrett (two kills, one tip point) dominated the net. Then when Barrett stepped to the service line, she produced five straight points, creating a 22-8 Medfield lead. And during that run, Barrett had two aces and Georgia Naumann had two points at the net. "Their offense was incredible," said Atkinson. "We had a tough time digging, that was probably the least amount of swings that I've had a in a match this year." The Shamrocks' first seven services in the opening game did not produce a point. The Shamrocks' first six services in the second game did not result in a point either, Feehan falling behind 13-5 before a Lepley kill during an Atkinson service made it 13-7. Naumann had three straight service points to put Medfield in front 5-1 - with Haskell having two kills and a hit in the surge. McLeod accounted for three more service points and a 20-10 Warrior lead, a strong block at the net by sophomore Kathleen Krah and another kill by Haskell undermining any Shamrock response. "They've (Bishop Feehan) gotten better and better, but we took No. 9 (Lepley) and made her think a bit, we dug her up two or three times," added Hastings, citing the exceptional defensive work on the backline by libero Allyson Le-Bruno. Medfield didn't allow Bishop Feehan a chance to recover in the third game either. Barrett took the initial service and accounted for four points, two on blocks and Haskell having the first of her six kills (15 overall) in the final game. And the Shamrocks did not secure a point out of any of their 10 services in the third game. Kills by Haskell, Morganne Gagne and Barrett created an insurmountable 15-5 lead for Medfield. In truth, other than kills by Kate Hill (for point No. 2) and Lepley (for point No. 4), the Shamrocks did not create a point on the attack. "You serve as tough as they do, you give them free balls and they pound it back at you - they're fearless and if you give them a free ball they don't make many mistakes, they're not afraid to swing," added Reardon. "That's one of the premier programs in the state. They had too many weapons. I thought that we had weapons, we've been able to spread it around, but they have as many as we do. Credit to them for taking us out of our game."