For the Joel Barlow High School girls volleyball team, a trip to the state Class M championship was more than a chance for another title. It was a shot at redemption.
The top-seeded Falcons were facing a familiar foe in sixth-seeded Regional Hebron, Andover, and Marlborough High School (RHAM) of Hebron, a team that had previously beaten them three times in the championship since 2007. Despite beating the same opponent early in the season, the Falcons could not duplicate their effort in a 3-1 (22-25, 25-16, 22-25, 18-25) upset loss to end the season on Nov. 18, at East Haven High School.
It marked RHAM’s third straight state championship and tenth overall.
“We played a little bit scared,” said Barlow Head Coach Carol Asplund, whose team won the Class L championship a year ago before moving to Class M due to a decrease in school enrollment. “We really didn’t execute on a lot of the stuff that we needed to execute.”
The Falcons were also not at full force physically, as a couple of team members were playing despite injuries.
After several lead changes in the first set, the Falcons battled back from a five-point deficit. A kill by Amanda Meschi won back the serve and four straight service points by Zoriana Olexy tied things at 12-12.
A few passing and hitting errors on Barlow’s part put the Raptors on top again, only to have the former tie it four more times before going up 22-21. Meredith Weir’s kill forced another tie, followed by three straight service points by Neve Tyler to give RHAM the win.
Much like the first set, the second featured a number of lead changes along the way. With the scored knotted at 12-12, the Falcons won back the serve and reeled off three straight by Olexy. Strong net play, featuring several blocks and kills by Mackenzie Sickinger, helped in a seven-point service run by Lily Condosta to get Barlow to set point. Although RHAM managed a side out, another kill by Sickinger claimed the win.
Barlow never led in the third set until the midway point, tying the score seven times until then. Ella Anderson’s service point, plus a kill by Meschi, put the Falcons briefly on top, and the lead was as much as 20-17 before RHAM started its comeback.
Behind three kills by Leilani Fecho, who was named MVP for the match, the Raptors went up 22-21 and held off the Falcons.
With the score tied at 9-9 in the final set the Raptors then took the lead for good with back-to-back kills by Leilani. Barlow called its final time out trailing 19-12 but the momentum stayed with RHAM.
“Our passing broke down,” said Asplund,” citing her team was unable to get the ball to its middle hitters. “Our strength is our middles and running our middles.”
Barlow finishes the season at 24-2 overall, its only other loss coming against Fairfield Warde High School.
“I didn’t necessarily expect us to be here,” said Asplund, who had just one starting player back from last season. “Obviously it is always our goal. We have a really young team.”
