CIAC VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Meredith Asplund, Joel Barlow, Sr., S: The veteran setter returns for one more season, giving the Falcons a solid foundation for another run at SWC and state titles.

Allie Bietz, Branford, Sr., S: The standout setter led the Hornets in assists while earning All-State first team honors as a junior.

Lauren Bender, Bristol Eastern, Sr., OH: The Lancers have had a great run of success and Bender was a huge part of that last season, leading the team with 186 digs, and finishing second with 292 kills. With some graduations, she’ll take on an even larger role this fall.

Katie Brand, Ridgefield, Sr., L: The three-year starter led the Tigers in digs last season and returns as a key leader on a young team.

Maggie Carley, Trumbull, Sr., S: A perennial FCIAC and Class LL contender, Trumbull figures to be in the thick of the playoff races and its senior setter will be one of the leaders. She collected 498 assists, 110 digs and 68 aces last fall. Carley has committed to play at UConn.

Mya DiZenzo, Amity, Sr., OH: The Spartans were again among the top teams in the SCC in 2021 and DiZenzo was a big part of the success, leading the team in digs and aces while finishing second in kills.

Leilani Gillespie, Darien, Sr., MH: Gillespie led the Wave with 266 kills and 46 blocks last season and returns as one of the FCIAC’s top weapons on a loaded Darien team.

Ally Hadley, RHAM, Sr., OH: Hadley racked up 373 digs, 276 kills and 88 aces and was the MVP of the Class L tournament. She will again be one of the CCC’s headliners as the Raptors try to defend their state title.

Tatum Holdereid, Ludlowe, Sr., MB: The 6-foot-2 middle led the state in blocks with 131 last year, and also had an attack percentage of .376. She has committed to play for Fordham University next year.

Grace Miller, Newtown, Sr., OH: Miller missed much of last season with an illness, but is back on the court for her senior campaign as an all-around weapon for the Nighthawks.

Avery Mola, Cheshire, Sr., OH/MH: The reigning SCC Player of the Year returns for a Ram team that will again be among the contenders for conference and state titles in 2022.

Aubrey Moore, Darien, Jr., S: The left-handed setter led the Blue Wave with 628 assists and 81 aces during their 20-3 campaign.

Ellie Moore, Darien, Jr., OH/S: Like her sister, Ellie Moore had a huge season last fall, racking up 192 kills, 67 aces and 185 digs. She’s also versatile, and can shift from outside to setter when needed.

Brenna Piller, Simsbury, Sr., S: The All-State setter helped the Trojans earn bids to the CCC and Class L finals last year.

Jocelyn Powers, Avon, Sr. L/S: Powers had 279 digs, 273 assists and 53 aces while earning All-State Second Team honors as a junior. She’s been on the varsity squad since 2019, when Avon won the state title.

Brooke Praskievicz, Hale Ray, Sr., OH: A two-time All-State and All-Shoreline first teamer, Praskievicz led the Noises in

kills, assists and aces as a junior.

Jillian Roche, Darien, Jr., OH: Roche does a lot of everything for the Blue Wave, and racked up a team-best 236 digs along with 70 aces and 226 kills last season.

Maggie Saleeby, Greenwich, Sr., OH: Saleeby collected 158 kills as a junior and will step into an even bigger role this season with the graduation of some of the team’s top hitters.

Kendall Scholz, Wilton, Sr., OH: In a stacked FCIAC, Wilton flew somewhat under the radar during a truly strong season, and Scholz was the headliner. The All-FCIAC first teamer returns as a top threat.

Samantha Sklenka, Bristol Central, Sr., L: A top libero, Sklenka earned All-State second team honors while racking up 421 digs in 2021.

Ari Smith, Seymour, Sr., OH: Smith, who led the Wildcats in kills as a junior, will be a key cog as Seymour looks to defend its NVL title and make another bid for the Class M crown.

Lucia Spanjol, Greenwich, Sr., S: The state’s top-ranked team was loaded last year and Spanjol quarterbacked the offense as the starting setter with an eye-popping 936 assists. She’ll be key if Greenwich is to defend its FCIAC and state titles this fall.

Lily Stevens, New Canaan, Jr., OH: Stevens emerged as a threat with a team-high 421 kills and 217 digs as a sophomore and should again be a standout hitter for New Canaan.

Katelyn Wankier, Avon, Sr., OH: A 6-foot-2 hitter, Wankier is an imposing presence for the Falcons. She’s been a varsity player for four years and played alongside teammate Jocleyn Powers in the 2022 USA Volleyball Junior Nationals in Indianapolis this summer.

Sarah West, RHAM, Sr., MH: The versatile middle collected 284 kills, 64 blocks and 124 digs as a junior. She returns to help the Raptors in their pursuit of a repeat Class L crown.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

A Blue Fall? Darien was formidable in 2021 and, in fact, only top-ranked Greenwich stood between the Blue Wave and an unbeaten season, as the Cardinals won all three meetings. Entering the 2022 season, Darien appears to be stacked, led by veteran hitters Leilani Gillespie and Jillian Roche, and junior sisters Aubrey and Ellie Moore. And, of course, it’s hard to beat the Wave in the coaching department with the legendary Laurie LaRusso returning for her 41st season. The Wave last won a state title in 2014 — their 17th in 22 years at the time — and last reached the Class LL final in 2018, but the stage could be set for another bid this year.

Masks off: For the first time since the 2019 season, masks are not required for the girls volleyball season. That’s following in line with the CIAC’s mask mandate for indoor sports, which ended in February. Volleyball players adjusted well to the requirement, especially while playing a full season including conference and state tournaments last fall, but ditching the masks comes as a welcome relief.

Dynasties and defending champs: Three of last year’s four state champions have won multiple titles during the past five tournaments, with only unbeaten Weston joining the dance while beating Seymour 3-2 in the Class M final for its first CIAC crown. Lyman Memorial has the longest current streak at three, and has reached the Class S final for six consecutive years. RHAM defeated CCC opponent Simsbury in Class L for its third title in five tournaments, and has reached 11 of the last 14 state finals, winning eight times. Seymour, the Class M runner-up, has been in the finals three straight seasons and five times since 2014, and Coventry, the Class S runner-up, has reached the finals four times since 2015.

Beat the FCIAC: FCIAC teams have had a near stranglehold on the Class LL crown since 2014, winning six of the last seven championships. More remarkably, five different conference teams have won those titles, including Darien (2014), Ludlowe (2015), Stamford (2016), Greenwich (2017 and 2021) and Trumbull (2019). Four of the finals featured a match-up of two FCIAC teams. The other state championship was won by Amity, which defeated Darien in 2018. Possible party-crashers this year include the SCC’s Cheshire and Amity, who clashed for their league’s crown last season and return strong squads again, and the SWC’s Newtown.