NAUGATUCK — The consensus at the start of the season was that the Naugatuck volleyball team, after losing six seniors to graduation, would be in the mix but not be near the top of the leader board — at least not until its unproven junior class fit into the mold.
The Greyhounds have turned more than a few heads early in the season.
The Greyhounds (5-3) rebounded from a season-opening loss to defending NVL and state champion Woodland by ripping off five straight wins and gaining a lot of attention in the NVL Iron Division.
What the Greyhounds may lack in experience they have more than made up for in depth with a rotation that is putting up solid numbers and tossing games into the win column.
The win streak came to an end Monday night as Wolcott cooled off the ‘Hounds to take a 3-2 win. However, Naugatuck head coach Kevin Wesche knows his team is coming together.
“I think we came out a little nervous being the first game of the season and Woodland is certainly a tough opponent,” Wesche said. “Once they got over the stage fright, the commitment to each other and the system we have in place, they began to come together.”
It didn’t take the Greyhounds long to turn the corner following the loss to Woodland. They shut out Watertown in the next game. Megan Warnke set the tone with 14 service points and five aces.
A shut-out win over Holy Cross gave Naugy the confidence to knock off last year’s NVL runner-up Torrington in a 3-2 cliffhanger. The pieces of the puzzle started to take shape as Nicole Healy and Alexa Blazas came on to record seven kills each. But it was a signature game for Alexandra Mezzo — 12 service points and five aces — that began to establish the Greyhounds’ front row.
Naugatuck continued to find the combinations that resulted in victories with Kathryn Healy and Jenna Massicotte adding to the mix. A 3-0 win over Wilby gave the Greyhounds its third shutout of the season. Senior captain Erica Andreoli led the way with 17 service points and Massicotte knocked down five service points as Naugatuck made quick work of the Wildcats.
“Ally Mezzo has been working real hard and has developed into a consistent outside hitter for us,” Wesche said. “The Healy girls, Nicole and Kathryn, along with Emma have provided a spark for us out on the court.”
Wesche said the secret to Naugy’s success is the leadership of his three senior captains — Andreoli, Kara Klimaszewski and Lauren Burns.
“The key has been the leadership from our three senior captains. They have worked together to get this team to believe in themselves,” he said. “It’s never easy to go up and play in Torrington and they beat us all three times last year. So to go up there and come away with the win really got this team to believe in themselves.”
Klimaszewski has been generating the offense from the setter position. Her 21 service points and 22 assists against Oxford led Naugatuck to a 3-1 win and victory number five on the season last Friday.
Burns made her presence felt adding 11 service points and six digs with Olivia Rotatori five kills and Teree Perkins three kills establishing the front row in the win over the Wolverines.
Naugatuck went head to head with Wolcott on Monday and saw the win streak come to and end in a down-to-the-wire loss.
The Greyhounds battled throughout the night. On the verge of being ousted in four games Naugatuck turned the tables and thoroughly handled the Eagles forcing a game five. Emma Healy led the team with a 17-service point performance.
The Greyhounds fell 3-1 to undefeated Seymour Tuesday night as the road gets a little rougher for Naugy. Mezzo had nine kills and Teree Perkins added six kills.
The road doesn’t get any easier for the Greyhounds as they face Ansonia on Friday to close out the week. Next week will be much of the same as Naugatuck will be at Terryville on Monday, then back in Seymour on Tuesday.
