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09/19/2021 12:00 AMThe North Haven girls’ volleyball team has started the 2021 season on a hot streak by winning its first four matches of the year. While the roster may be young, Head Coach Brianna Kleckner said that this year’s club has quickly learned to play together and that her athletes are buying into what she is trying to build.
North Haven earned wins versus Lyman Hall, East Haven, and Sheehan in last week’s action. Coach Kleckner’s team started the week by claiming a 3-1 (16-25, 25-14, 26-24, 25-20) home victory against Lyman Hall at North Haven High School on Sept. 13.
Senior captain Caroline Toni had eight digs with five kills and three aces, while fellow senior captain Hannah Auddino handed out 14 assists to go with four aces for North Haven. Junior Maren Hill added five kills in the win.
The next day, North Haven hosted East Haven and recorded a 3-0 (25-21, 25-12, 25-7) sweep over the Yellowjackets. Auddino had 10 assists with eight aces and two kills in the match. Toni posted four digs, three kills, and three aces.
Then on Sept. 17, North Haven played a road match with Sheehan and blanked the Titans by a 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-11) final. Toni had 10 kills with nine digs and four aces in the victory. Auddino dished off 23 assists and also had three digs with two aces. Junior Sophia Vauiso had four kills and three blocks to help Coach Klecker’s club finish off an undefeated week.
“We’re obviously very happy. Our coaching staff couldn’t be more proud of our team right now, especially after coming back from a season like last year, where everything was so challenging and different,” said Kleckner. “This group, anytime we’re faced with a challenge, they rely on each other to get out of it. They’ve done a phenomenal job protecting what we’re working to build.”
Auddino and Toni are leading North Haven as its senior captains this season. Auddino is the team’s setter, and Toni plays outside hitter. Both athletes made the All-SCC Division B Team last season, while helping North Haven advance to the divisional final.
Coach Klecker said that Toni and Auddino are filling their leadership roles admirably as North Haven aims to build off of its success from 2020.
“They’ve always been looked to as natural leaders on our team. They wanted the role as soon as the position was available. It was clear that their peers felt the same way,” Kleckner said. “They’ve done a phenomenal job in terms of leadership that was set last year. We’re really happy with the direction our program is moving, and a lot of that has to do with leadership.”
The other senior on North Haven’s roster is libero Alexys Signor. Coach Kleckner said that Signor’s work ethic has jumped off the page this season. Klecker feels happy to see Signor doing everything she can to improve during practice, adding that the senior’s effort is noticeable every time she steps on the court.
North Haven’s junior class features Hill, Vauiso, Kayla Balisciano, Yasmeen Zureiqi, and Sarah Herrera. Of the 21 athletes on this year’s team, 13 of them are either freshmen and sophomores. Coach Kleckner said that her younger players have a hunger to improve and that there is excellent chemistry among everyone on the roster.
“Our team camaraderie couldn’t be stronger right now. We just have a group of really great kids,” said Kleckner. “The fact that they’re young—they’re eager to learn, and we couldn’t be happier with that. We’re very excited for the future of this team for that very reason.”
Coach Kleckner added that North Haven’s recent success stems from everyone’s willingness to buy into type of program that she’s building. Kleckner said that everyone is playing selfless volleyball and working together to get better. Both this year and down the road, Kleckner wants North Haven to be a team where everyone relies on each other and team goals come before those of any individual player.
“It’s not just about you. It’s about everybody on that floor. No matter how frustrating it is as an individual to mess up, you have to be willing to let your teammates pick your head back up,” Kleckner said. “It’s a difficult lesson to teach a high school kid. Our team has done a phenomenal job in being open about that. You can’t let that one ball affect you. It’s a bigger picture than you.”
North Haven’s next chance to continue its winning ways will come when the team faces Mercy and Hand in this week’s contests. Coach Kleckner is hoping that her squad’s strong start will increase everyone’s confidence and serve notice to the rest to the SCC that North Haven is a team to take seriously.
“It’s about having confidence. For years, we have been saying that we’re moving in the right direction. North Haven isn’t a pushover,” said Kleckner. “We’re working hard six days a week trying to get this team to show everybody in the SCC that we’re a competitor. That has been our mission, and the kids are right on board. They want it just as bad as anybody else. It’s an exciting thing to be a part of.”
The North Haven girls’ volleyball team’s roster includes senior captains Hannah Auddino and Caroline Toni; senior Alexys Signor; juniors Maren Hill, Sophia Vauiso, Kayla Balisciano, Yasmeen Zureiqi, and Sarah Herrera; sophomores Grace Battipaglia, Adriana Lipowski, Ava Carlson, Avery Berney, Chandler Morris, and Ayanna Fernandez; and freshmen Erica Clorite, Bria McKiernan, Alexandra Anquillare, Alyssa DiGiovanna, Anna Hansard, Alyssa Ferriouolo, and Lucia Cavaliere.