Outfitted in special uniforms with pink numbers and a ribbon graphic in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness month, the Newtown High School girls’ volleyball team took on more than the competition from Immaculate of Danbury in a home match on October 8. Volleyball parents, through raffles and merchandise sales, collected money to benefit The Pink Wig Project, whose mission “is to provide a pink wig to cancer patients as a reminder to stay strong and live your life.”

On the court, the Nighthawks stretched their South-West Conference winning streak to seven and bounced back from a 3-0 setback at nonconference foe East Lyme the day before by defeating Immaculate 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-16). Gianna Galassi recorded an ace, ten kills, and four digs; Sara Heinen had seven kills; Allie Nowacki had an ace, 12 kills, five blocks, and one dig; Ava Lombardo logged one kill, three blocks, 36 assists, and two digs; libero Emily Daoust — in a special pink uniform — recorded an ace and six digs, some of the diving variety; Addy Cordova had two aces and four digs; and Cassie Pickering had four kills.

Against East Lyme, the Hawks were competitive despite falling by scores of 25-20, 25-17, and 25-22. Galassi had 13 kills, a block, and seven digs; Nowacki registered eight kills, three blocks, and a pair of digs; and Cordova had 11 digs.

Newtown defeated host New Milford 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-14) on October 4. Nowacki compiled 14 kills to go along with seven aces, four blocks, and a dig; Galassi had nine kills, one block, and five digs; Cordova had seven digs; and Daoust registered four aces, three assists, and a trio of digs.

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