By Jennifer
Small, Source
Sports Editor:
The
Haddam-Killingworth volleyball team continued its perennially strong program in
2008 with an 18-5 overall record, a trip to the Shoreline Conference finals,
and advancing to the semifinals of the Class S State Tournament.
While these
are certainly the marks of success, the sky could’ve been the limit if not for
one rival team that kept getting in the Cougars’ way—Morgan. HK finished 15-3
in the regular season with two of the losses coming at the hands of the Huskies
(3-1 and 3-0) and the other being to Hale Ray (3-1) early in the season. The
Cougars avenged that loss 3-1 in the closing week of the regular season.
After
winning in the semifinals of the Shoreline Conference Tournament, HK again met
its match as Morgan claimed its 16th straight conference title.
Then, as
the No. 6 seed in the Class S State Tournament, HK earned a bye in the first
round, a 3-2 win over 11th-seeded Terryville in the second round and a 3-1
victory over Grasso Tech, the No. 3 seed, in the quarterfinals to again be
pitted against Morgan in the semifinals. The Huskies again took the win to end
HK’s season and advance to the finals where they lost 3-0 to top-seeded Coventry.
HK has at
least advanced to the semifinals in each of the last five years, making it to
the finals in three of those years.
Senior captain
Erin Moriarty has been a part of four of those teams as she has been a starter
since her freshman year. This season, Moriarty was named First Team
All-Shoreline and First Team All-State for the second straight year.
Lindsey
Wierbicki and Stephanie Venuti also led the team as senior captains with Hannah
Sturman and Emily Dadario rounding out the senior class. Sturman and Venuti
earned Second Team All-Shoreline honors while Wierbicki got an Honorable
Mention nod.
“It will be
different next fall without Erin as she has
been a starter since her freshman season,” said Coach Richard Langer. “Our
captains got along and tried to make it enjoyable to be on the volleyball team.
I will miss the seniors—they've been a fun group to work with.”
Though the
five graduating seniors made many contributions with all starting this season,
there is a talented group of underclassmen waiting to continue HK’s tradition
of volleyball success including juniors Cara Webber, Corinne Veazie, Jordanne
Anderson, Jordan Shultz, and Mikayla Litevich, sophomore Megan O’Brien, and freshman
Ana Tarbetsky.
“We
graduate five seniors, but we have some talented underclassmen to rebuild
with,” said Langer.
Pictured: Members of the Haddam-Killingworth varsity volleyball team include (front row)
seniors Emily Dadario, Hannah Sturman, Lindsey Wierbicki, Erin Moriarty, and
Stephanie Venuti; (back row) junior Cara Webber, junior Corinne Veazie,
freshman Ana Tarbetsky, junior Jordanne Anderson, sophomore Megan O'Brien,
junior Jordan Shultz, and junior Mikayla Litevich.
Photo courtesy of Richard
Langer