Newtown High School’s girls’ volleyball team dropped a pair of hard-fought three-set matches with visiting Joel Barlow of Redding (unbeaten in South-West Conference play) on October 10 and host Woodstock Academy (15-3) the next day. Although both contests were decided in the minimum three, the Nighthawks certainly did not make it easy on their opponents, especially Barlow which won by scores of 25-23, 25-23, and 25-21. Woodstock Academy prevailed 25-14, 25-23, 25-16.

In the Barlow match Allie Nowacki had an ace, nine kills, and four blocks; Gianna Galassi had six kills, a block, and three digs; Emily Daoust had four aces and four digs; Sara Heinen logged five kills and two digs; Addy Cordova recorded an ace and four digs; and Ava Lombardo compiled 29 assists to go along with a kill, two blocks, and a dig.

Against Woodstock Academy Galassi registered six kills and six digs; Heinen had seven kills; Noelle Meadows logged four kills, two blocks, and a dig; Lombardo had one kill, one block, and 21 assists.

The Nighthawks visited Kolbe Cathedral of Bridgeport on October 15 and won 3-0 (25-10, 25-13, 25-9). Newtown racked up 20 aces led by five from Daoust and four apiece from Cordova, Sarah Hubner, and Nowacki. Rylan Kennedy and Nowacki both had six kills and Cassie Pickering added five kills. Taylor Leighton compiled 15 assists and Lombardo had ten assists.