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10/01/2014 12:00 AMAshlyn Chidsey says that the thought of playing volleyball never occurred to her when she was a freshman at Morgan. However, after some convincing from her softball teammates, Ashlyn has dug her way into an impressive niche on the floor.
The senior and three-year libero joined the Huskies as a sophomore and recorded 68 digs in 69 sets played before a breakout junior campaign last fall-earning Second Team All-Shoreline honors with 201 digs and 52 aces to help lead the Huskies to the Class S state title. Now in her final campaign with Morgan, Ashlyn is again off to a dominant defensive start by recording 40 digs in the squad's first five matches.
"I know I have to get after the ball and give 100 percent on every ball that is hit," says Ashlyn. "I only play in the back row so that is my main job. I've been libero for three years now and I feel I've definitely improved since then. I was timid then, but now I have no hesitation on a ball. I just keep diving on the ground."
The All-Conference recognition of 2013 ignited Ashlyn's desire to turn that into a First Team bid for this season. On a team target scale, she and her four fellow Huskies' senior starters want to go out on top.
"Since last year, it was a goal of mine to get some sort of recognition so this year I want that First Team All-Shoreline to end my time here on a good note," Ashlyn says. "I've been pushing myself hard this season and we want to come out with the state championship again. We have five senior starters and we will hopefully come together because to do it again would be awesome."
After sweeping Lyman Memorial to claim the Huskies' first state crown since 2005 and complete a perfect 26-0 season last fall, Ashlyn feels that she made the right choice to bring her athletic abilities to the Morgan court.
"Last year was just awesome. It was a great feeling to be a state champion," says Ashlyn, whose team also claimed the Shoreline title for the 22nd straight campaign last fall. "With the emotions of doing it being so great, we want to do it again this year. I'm definitely glad that I was convinced to play on this team because of its history and tradition."
Head Coach Joe Grippo explains that Ashlyn plays a strong role in getting the ball out of the Huskies' side of the net while doing it with a calm demeanor.
"Ashlyn is the key to our defense, as she was last year, too," says Grippo. "She is an unassuming athlete who just quietly goes about her business."
As a captain, Ashlyn has been pushed by her coach to grow more with her words, a call she has answered.
"So far, I've been a captain who leads by example, but Grippo has wanted to get me to be louder and I think I have because being captain gives me more confidence," Ashlyn says. "I'm also telling the other girls what to do and pumping them up."
Morgan's road toward more crowns looks rough with foes like Class L opponent Fitch and top conference rival Haddam-Killingworth on the schedule, although Ashlyn and the Huskies know that they cannot get too far ahead of themselves.
"We just have to pull through and focus as a team," says Ashlyn, who thanks Coach Grippo, along with her teammates and entire family. "We have to take it and look at it one game at a time."