Woburn girls’ volleyball coach Scott Roy received a text from senior captain Sophia Zapelini Viviani last Friday morning.
“since we don’t have practice on friday can’t we have practice sat and sunday,” Zapelini Viviani wrote.
It was the first time Roy could recall a captain making such a request since he started the program in 2012. Thus, the Tanners were practicing at 8:30 a.m. Sunday on a scheduled off day.
Within the competitive Middlesex League Liberty division, Woburn has started 6-4 after a 10-10 finish last fall.
“That just really shows our drive and devotion to the sport,” senior all-around Addison McNamara said. “How even though it’s our off day, we want to get in the gym and we want to put in the work.”
Another senior captain, outside Ciara Nee delivered 10 aces in Woburn’s 3-0 win over Wilmington Sept. 18, passing the program’s previous career mark of 147. She entered Thursday’s match with 160.
Zapelini Viviani, a returning Middlesex League All-Star, set the program’s single-game record for blocks with 13 in Monday’s hotly contested 3-2 loss at Burlington. She and junior middle blocker Sasha Lefang are dominant at the net. McNamara and senior Ava Scalesse complete the starting lineup.
Scalessse has stepped in for senior captain Alina Ayanian, the starting libero last season, who tore her ACL last winter playing basketball.
In the offseason, the 5-foot-2-inch Scalesse played club for Mass Impact, often an age up against 18-year-olds. She dedicated herself to improving her reads of defensive plays, such as tips and hard hits.
“The first Monday clinic in the summer that we had, I couldn’t recognize her,” Lefang said.
Scalesse, along with Nee, has solidified the back row. She’s delivered double-digit digs six times, with a season high 24 against Burlington.
Timid on the court last season, Scalesse now feels a responsibility to step up for the younger players.
“I have to start taking control and making the plays and making things happen,” Scalesse said. “Especially since the first ball most likely comes to me.”
From June through August, Roy hosts clinics every Monday and a summer league on Wednesdays. McNamara, previously a defensive specialist, earned the starting role after an offseason spent improving her vertical and strengthening her shoulders.
In a 3-0 victory over Arlington, McNamara had three sets on one sequence. On her third bid, she tipped it over a right-side block, delivering the point.
With more skill, knowledge, and confidence, the Tanners have been able to diversify their attack.
“Sometimes Addi will get three, four sets in a row, the [opposing] team will fall asleep,” said Roy. “Next thing you know, no one’s defending Sasha, and that’s a big point for us.”
McNamara credits her improved play to the confidence gained from getting regular reps.
“I thought the select times where I was in, I had to really prove that I could — I was perfect and wouldn’t make any mistakes,” McNamara said. “I was more focused on not making a mistake than just passing the ball and just performing.”
The Tanners opened their season with a 3-1 win over a Wakefield squad that swept Woburn last season. In years past, Roy said his team featured good hitters but had trouble executing sets.
“We know who our big hitters are and they’re people that are already starting the season on like an 8 out of 10,” Roy said. “So we don’t have to build them up that much.”
Set points
▪ Analyzing the first set of power rankings:
Division 1: After being a 7-seed and a 13-seed the past two seasons, Winchester stacked its nonconference schedule with top-tier opponents and it’s working. The Red & Black debuted as No. 1. The Merrimack Valley has not played much out-of-conference yet, and the formula does not give much doubt. Undefeated Central Catholic starts at No. 8 and last year’s top seed, Chelmsford, opened at No. 15.
Division 2: Reigning champ Oliver Ames is the top dog, as expected after taking down Franklin and extending its undefeated streak to 33 in a row. The next four are all from the Middlesex League, and No. 8 is too. The league is much more than just Winchester, and Reading is a team to watch.
Division 3: Defending champ Bellingham starts at No. 2, but may have the chance to move up after Melrose took down No. 1 Newburyport. Medfield and Weston, the 2024 and 2023 champions, respectively, rebounded nicely despite graduating their stars and are in the top six, along with No. 4 Joseph Case and its sophomore hitters fresh off a finals appearance.
Division 4: East Bridgewater brought back star players from its championship team, and holds the top spot. Ursuline is not far behind, but a significant gap follows. Ipswich, which went from a four-peat to a four-match winner last year, has already equaled that win total and cracks the top 10.
Division 5: Madison Park was a No. 2-seed last year and is off to a 4-2 start, but is No. 10 in the first power rankings; New Mission, at No. 8, is the top Boston-based squad. Pioneer Valley Christian is No. 1, and 150 miles away on the Cape is No. 2 St. John Paul II.
Matches to watch
Friday, No. 3 Winchester at No. 13 Reading, 5:45 p.m. — The winner will be the last undefeated team in Middlesex League play.
Tuesday, No. 9 Newton North at No. 11 Needham, 4:30 p.m. — Two Bay State Conference powers meet with younger-than-usual rosters. Needham also visits No. 4 Brookline on Thursday (5:15 p.m.).
Wednesday, No. 5 Central Catholic at No. 6 Chelmsford, 5 p.m. — The Lions have found their stride with Alicia Marcal at setter since their first matchup at Central Catholic, a rare time they’ve been swept. This match will be crucial for the Merrimack Valley Conference standings.
Thursday, No. 14 Wellesley at No. 9 Newton North, 4:30 p.m. — This matchup went five sets the first time. Can Wellesley push the Tigers to the brink in Newtonville too?
Thursday, No. 1 Oliver Ames at No. 3 Winchester, 5:30 p.m. — The only two teams ranked No. 1 in the Globe’s poll this season will battle.
Correspondent AJ Traub also contributed.
Tony Gleason can be reached at tony.gleason@globe.com.