No sense easing into the campaign. Newtown High School’s girls’ volleyball team opened things with a visit to defending state Class M runner-up St Joseph on September 15, the day before a match with another nonconference powerhouse from the FCIAC, Darien — last year’s Class LL champion.

Newtown, after winning its first game against St Joes, hung close in games two through four, but St Joes prevailed 3-1 (24-26, 25-20, 25-20, 25-22). Darien posted a 3-0 (25-12, 25-18, 25-14) win in the second match.

The Nighthawks, themselves one of the stronger programs around, traditionally among the best in the South-West Conference, and coming off a 14-win season, do have a bit of a new look after four players who saw regular action graduated from last year’s squad.

“We’re a really young team,” said Newtown captain Jamie Calandro, noting that three of the team’s starters played junior varsity last fall. “It’s going to take time. We’ve only had a week together in the gym.”

By the same token, St Joes had similar turnover, making for an evenly contested match.

Calandro had 19 kills, 13 digs, and five service aces; Julia Wiberg had seven kills; Zoe Beals registered ten kills and four aces; Kaitlyn Schneider had four aces and four digs; Tessa Leon-Gambetta had six digs; and setter Molly McCoy compiled 22 assists.

The Nighthawks fought to take a two games to one edge in the St Joes match, and battled almost all the way back from a seven-point deficit before falling in game three. Down 21-14, Newtown inched closer behind a trio of kills by Beals, including a block/kill, and a Schneider ace, making it 21-18, but St Joes answered with the next three points and held off the Nighthawks.

With their backs against a wall and in a must-win situation, Newtown hung close, and held some leads before falling behind by three points. Down 18-16, the Hawks pulled to within a point behind the efforts of Leon-Gambetta, who made a diving dig to keep the ball in play then, even before she got to her feet, made another dig on a quick St Joes return. Newtown didn’t waste her defensive efforts, as Calandro capitalized with one of her kills to pull the Hawks within a point at 18-17. The game remained close through the finish, but St Joes scored five of the last six points to close out the win.

Despite the fact Newtown racked up a fair amount of aces, Calandro points out that the team can improve on its serving game. During the season opener, service errors gave St Joes unearned points.

“Our serving really needs some work. Especially at this level, it’s really a serving game,” Calandro said.

The Newtown captain, however, sees a lot of bright spots in the lineup.

“We have a lot of potential as a team,” Calandro said.

Newtown will host SWC rival Joel Barlow of Redding in another potentially challenging match on Friday, September 18, beginning at 6 pm. The Hawks will cap off a stretch of four straight home contests with clash with Kolbe Cathedral of Bridgeport on Monday, September 21, and a meeting with New Fairfield on Friday, September 25; both tilts are scheduled for 5 pm.