End of an Era

Mary's high school volleyball career concluded last night.  The girls played in the second round of the state tournament, and lost 20-25, 20-25, 17-25.  They fought hard and played really well, but it wasn't to be.  Playing in the state tournament was a great way to end a great season and we are so proud of all the girls accomplished. 

Warming up.

Playing hard. 

We've loved watching Mary play volleyball ever since the fall of 2003 in Japan, when she couldn't even get an underhand serve over the net.  As of today, she is ranked first on her team and ninth in the state (across all divisions) in aces, with a 27.7% ace percentage.  Speaking of her serving, here is a short video from last night's game when her team went on a scoring run while she had the serve.


And finally, there was a nice article in the paper today about the end of the girls' season, along with a photo of Mary.  Unfortunately, only registered users of the newspaper can access it online, so the only way I could figure to share it with you was to do a screen shot (the article was too wide to scan from the newspaper).  If you click on the article, it'll enlarge.

More Volleyball

We are so proud of the Nonnewaug girls' volleyball team.  Last night was the Berkshire League tournament, an end-of-season round robin with the top four teams.  We placed third in the league, so in the first match we played the number two team, Northwestern.  In the season, we won one and lost one against Northwestern.  Last night, our girls were pitch perfect and they took the match.  It was arguably the best volleyball match we've ever seen them play.  Next up was Terryville, the number one team in their league.  Our girls lost, but in a great match that they can be proud of.  It was a delight and a treat to see the team play so beautifully after working so hard all season long.  Also last night, the all-league teams were announced.  For the second year in a row, Mary was named to Second Team All Berkshire League.  She was one of just two players on her team to be on the first or second all-league teams.  Needless to say, we are super proud and she was thrilled to be honored.  Next up is the state tournament.  The girls got a high enough seed that they get a bye in the first round.  They play in the second round on Tuesday at home.  Here are some photos from last night:

Our player.

Her team.

Mary (Second Team All-League) and Maddie (First Team All-League).

Second Team All Berkshire League.

Mary and her good friend Meryl.

Slightly proud parents.

Chiefs for the Cure

Last night's volleyball match was the team's annual fundraiser for breast cancer awareness.  It was a wonderful night and with one more week to go in the regular season, it makes the team 14-2 (after a bruising loss on Tuesday to one of the top teams in their league).  So here we go with a few photos and videos from last night.  (You already knew this, but the action photos weren't taken by me.)

 

Video of the girls running in to start warmups.  Listen carefully for a voice you might recognize.

The starting lineup followed by what I hope you'll agree is something quite touching.

One quick volley where Mary gets a few touches.

And finally, Homecoming, which belongs here since the transition from the volleyball match to the Homecoming Dance was seamless.  The nets got taken down practically instantly, each of the girls rushed home for the quickest shower and prep imagineable, then in record time they all dashed over to the house of one of the girls in this photo for quick photos (the boy in the photo was going with one of the girls in the front row, and all of the girls in the photo are from volleyball), then off to the dance an hour late.  It was kind of crazy, but when I picked them up they seemed to have had as much fun as if they'd gotten there on time.  I brought two girls home with Mary for a sleepover.  Pulling into our driveway at 12:30 a.m., we met Brad, who was just getting out of the car after returning home from the airport after a weeklong trip.

Fall Colors

Brad's parents have been visiting us and the leaves were so pretty while they were here.  We had a really nice visit and today they flew home to Arizona from Boston.

Last weekend Mary worked at a Town Democratic Committee fall fundraiser dinner, so all attended.

Fall colors in front of the North Congregational Church in Woodbury.

Brad and his mom after lunch at one of our favorite stops in New Haven.

Geneva and Chuck got to attend three of Mary's volleyball matches while they were here.  Speaking of which, the team is now 12-1 with five matches left in the last two weeks of the season. 

Tomorrow:  photos from Parents Weekend at Tufts!

Catching Up ....... Volleyball

Mary's team continues to rack up the wins and everyone continues to pinch themselves.  They are 10-1 and in sole possession of the third-best record in the state for their division.  They still have two very tough matches to go yet this season, as well as a handful of others that they should win but . . . . you never know.  On the definite side of things . . . . they have already qualified for the state tournament.  Today's puzzle:  try to figure out which of the below pictures from the last couple of weeks' matches I did (or did not) take.  Hint:  action photography isn't my specialty.

This Week in Volleyball

Mary's team had three matches scheduled for this week, but one of them was postponed due to a tornado watch.  As for the other two, they won each of them.  Here are some highlights:

The first match was on Thursday at home vs. Kaynor Tech, a non-conference game.  Here's a short video showing the starting lineup.

You can call her "Stretch."

 The next two pictures are from last night's conference match vs. Gilbert.  In this one, you can call her "Silly."

Or, you can go back to calling her "Stretch."  (She did, afterall, get a block - a real honest-to-goodness block - in this match.)

An Update on Last Week's Volleyball

On Thursday night the girls had a non-conference match against Notre Dame-Fairfield, which they won in three games.  Here are a couple of pictures from that match, neither of which I can claim credit for taking, but both of which I really like.  (Notice in the second picture that the photography is so good you can see Mary's thumb depressing the ball.)

Then on Friday night it was the Nonnewaug home opener.  Very exciting to finally be on their home turf!  It was a match against Housatonic Valley Regional High School, a school in their conference.  Our girls came out strong, but then Housy (yes, they are really called this, pronounced Hoozy) warmed up, and it was a very exciting, very loud, very well-matched event.  Nonnewaug won the first two games, Housy won the third, but then Nonnewaug won the fourth to win the match.  And the girls were soooooo excited!!!

 I wish I could take credit for this action shot, but I'm not nearly this good of a photographer.

 I also can't take credit for the picture of of this dive by Mary. 

 Another one I didn't take but wish I had.

A pass by Mary that I didn't photograph.

The end of the match victory whoop.  Not taken by me.

Finally, a picture I took.  It was sometime in the middle of the match, but I think it sums up the evening.  They start next week 4-1 overall, 2-1 in conference.  Coming up this week:  three more matches.

Volleyball is My New Garden

If you got tired of seeing picture after picture of the garden this summer . . . . (and there are, by the way, more to come) . . . . you are now on notice that volleyball will take over as my obsession for the fall season.  Be prepared for picture after picture of my favorite high school player.  I won't give away her name, but I will give you a hint as to her identity:  she wears the number 2.  Since it's her senior year, I've decided to take my camera to each game.  So now it's official, you've been warned.  But in all seriousness, I hope you enjoy these pictures and those that are to come in this, the last Harrison high school sports season.

Here she is awaiting a serve at last week's loss to Terryville.  They should have / could have won, but instead lost in three games. 

Passing in the Terryville match.  After seven years of playing volleyball in white knee pads and socks, for her eighth year Mary switched to black.  I'm a big fan of the black.

This was in today's paper.  We have a local paper that publishes twice a week, and they do a great job of covering high school sports.  (So, by the way, does our daily paper from Waterbury.)  Your eyes do not deceive you and the editor did not make an error.  In the last paragraph of the article, it really says that Mary got nine kills in the Terryville match.  (And she really did!)  She's a 5'6" sneak attack.

  Last night at the match vs. Lewis Mills, Mary did some blocking.

She also did some digging.

But just as important as blocking and digging, is that she and Maddy have a handshake.  It lasts about 10 seconds and it cracks me up.  And in case you're wondering, they beat Lewis Mills in three straight games, so their record stands at 2-1 (1-1 in conference) with two more matches to be played this week.

(Thanks to Sandy, one of the other moms, who also takes pictures at the games.  Some of these were lifted from her Facebook albums.)

In Today's Paper . . . .

The Nonnewaug volleyball team will be led this season by captains (front row, from left) Mary Harrison and Brianna Schaar, and seniors (back row) Ashley Middelmann, Jaquelyn Taylor and Brittany Codianna. Senior Courtney Ireland is not pictured

Veteran Players Return
to NHS Volleyball Team
Published:
Wednesday, September 15, 2010 9:44 AM EDT

BETHLEHEM-WOODBURY — The Nonnewaug volleyball team is ready to take on the challenges of the new season.

The Chiefs are experienced veterans. After posting a record of 12-7 overall and an 8-4 record in the Berkshire League last season, Nonnewaug is looking forward to building upon the lessons learned last year.

Coach Fran Gelzinis returns to guide the girls and is cautiously optimistic with nine players coming back to the team with lots of varsity experience.

Four players off last year's roster did graduate, however, including Kelly Garrett; All Berkshire League middle hitter Amanda Hadad; Alexandra DeFrancesco; and Lauren Jenkins-Fazio.

Returning are seniors Brittany Codianna, setter; Brianna Schaar, opposite side hitter; Jaquelyn Taylor, middle back; Ashley Middelmann, defensive specialist; Courtney Ireland, defensive specialist; and second-team All Berkshire League selection last year and outside hitter Mary Harrison.

Juniors on the team are Meryl Ramsey, outside hitter; Katie Wade, outside hitter; AnnMarie Distasi, outside hitter; Natasha Bartolotta, outside hitter; Sidney Stone, setter; Danielle Durette, middle back; Erin Brick, opposite side hitter; Katelyn Mazzuzzo, defensive specialist; and Francisca Saunders, outside hitter.

One sophomore, Madison Losure, a middle hitter, has locked in a position in the varsity line-up.

Coach Gelzinis has liked how his players have worked hard in the off season and the team has a natural cohesiveness this season. He hopes that will carry over to their game play on the floor.

The primary goal is to qualify for the CIAC Class M state tournament, but secondly, the Chiefs hope to move up in the Berkshire League standings. Early front-runners in the league race appear to be teams from Terryville and Housatonic.

Beautiful Early Fall Day

Today the weather is absolutely perfect.  Mary had the Varsity and JV volleyball teams here for a pasta lunch after practice and before going to the local fair tonight.  Having about 25 girls in the house all afternoon has been lots of fun. 

Last night was the final scrimmage for volleyball.  Next week they start league play.  After all these years of taking absolutely awful indoor gym photographs, I decided it was time to consult the manual for my camera to see if I could improve my pictures.  It's amazing what a little knowledge can do, even if it is hideously belated.  I was especially proud of this photo I took last night of Mary in a jump serve.

The Nonnewaug scoreboard is ready for the volleyball season!

Mary and some of the girls eating their pasta on the deck. 

As the afternoon was winding down we got some excitement from the farm.  The gate apparently opened and they all must have decided the grass was greener across the street.  This video shows the animals arriving.  I stopped the video when the farmers got here to take the animals home, as I felt kind of silly taking videos of the whole event.  (But no, I'm not too proud to post them here.)

In this short video Allie watches the cattle and horses go home.  Listen to the sound of their hooves as they run from our neighbor's side yard, then through our front yard and back across the street to the farm.

Volleyball!

The volleyball season has begun! Today Mary had a scrimmage. Let's see what she was up to . . . .

Some passing  . . . .

Some setting  . . . .

Some hitting  . . . . 

Some defense . . . . 

Some more defense . . . . 

And some team bonding.