Unbeaten Nighthawk Spikers Getting Contributions From Throughout Lineup

By Andy Hutchison

One of the keys to any success the defending conference champion Newtown High School girls’ volleyball team experiences this season, undoubtedly, will be the experience factor — especially given that nobody graduated from last year’s squad. But some players opted not to return, making for a certain level of importance for newcomers to step up and bolster the lineup on any given day.

So far so good. The Nighthawks carry a 6-0 record into Friday’s match at Pomperaug of Southbury, and have won all of their matches by 3-0 scores.

“Even though we have some newer and younger players, everyone’s interchangeable and everyone can do basically everything,” said senior outside hitter Carly Iwanicki, one of nine returnees to the Nighthawks.

Another of the players back in the fold, junior outside hitter Lauren Frazzetta, had limited varsity experience a year ago. Junior libero Courtney Escoda and sophomores Cassie Ekstrom and Meghan Logan, outside hitter and setter, respectively, are completely new to the varsity ranks. “I love when I get in,” Escoda said. “I love the game.”

Newtown Coach Tom Czaplinski loves the fact that anyone he calls on can step up and contribute. He said that the team practices in such a way that all team members get plenty of touches in preparation for matches. “I truly feel like if I take one out and put another one in we shouldn’t lose a step because of how well they’ve been working together,” the coach said.

The Nighthawks beat Stratford 3-0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-23) at home on September 23. In the win, Emma Herring had eight kills, Iwanicki had seven, and Riley Wurtz had six. Setter Jess Lynch had 23 assists. Abbey Doski led the way with 23 digs, and Escoda compiled 16 digs.

Newtown traveled to Weston and beat the Trojans 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 28-26) on September 26. Herring had 11 kills and Iwanicki added eight. Doski had six of her team’s 13 service aces. Doski also led the team with 21 digs, and three other Hawks were in double figures, with Wurtz racking up 16, Iwanicki compiling 13, and Alyssa Finkenstadt added 11.

Newtown bested visiting Lauralton Hall of Milford on Tuesday 3-0 (25-18, 25-12, 25-23). Herring had 22 kills, and Iwanicki, Doski, and Finkenstadt recorded 13, 12, and 11, respectively, in the triumph. Wurtz logged a half-dozen of her team’s 12 service aces. Doski led all players with a whopping 29 digs.

As thrilled as the Hawks are to come out on top in each match, Czaplinski said he tells the girls not to focus on wins and losses. “We need to be more concerned with how we’re playing,” he said.

Following Friday’s match in Southbury (5 pm), Newtown will host Notre Dame-Fairfield on Monday, October 3 at 6:30 pm.