With a combination of returning starters and team members who saw playing time back in the fold, Newtown High School’s girls’ volleyball team is again trying to be among the best in the South-West Conference.

“Still looking to win that banner,” said Coach Tom Czaplinski, whose team was runner-up to Weston in last year’s pinnacle conference match.

The Nighthawks lost four players — a trio to graduation and one via transfer — but have a strong group of returning players in the lineup.

“We have a lot of kids that got playing time last year, coming off the bench,” Czaplinski said. “We have a lot of players with a lot of potential. Hopefully we fulfill that potential.”

Camaraderie is a strength of the squad, the coach said.

Captains who will lead the way are setter Haley Austermann, opposite side hitter Annabel Saunders, middle hitter Ella Stubbs, outside hitters Lauren Young and Grace Miller, and libero Bella Rio.

Joel Barlow of Redding, which had a nine-year SWC championship run that ended last fall, along with Masuk of Monroe, stand to be the toughest competition in the conference, Czaplinski anticipates.

The Nighthawks have some tough out-of-conference competition as always. FCIAC teams Darien and Fairfield Ludlowe, which was runner-up in the state, in addition to Woodstock Academy and East Lyme, are on the slate.

Newtown is scheduled to get started with a home match against Joel Barlow of Redding on Thursday at 5:30 pm. This is a nonconference match; the teams will meet again in Redding in mid October. Newtown will visit East Lyme on Tuesday, September 13 at 5:30 pm and host Darien Friday, September 16, at 4:30.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.