By Michael Letendre
STRATFORD — With the way the Bristol Eastern volleyball team has performed over the years in the annual Class L tournament tilt, it’s no surprise that the Lancers have pushed their way into the quarterfinal round in 2023.
After shutting out Waterbury Career Academy on November 6 in first round play, the Kingstreeters turned its collective attention against No. 7 Stratford on Thursday night.
And the 10th rated Lancers rolled up a clean sweep, posting a 3-0 victory in second round action on the road from Stratford High School.
Set scores were remarkably close (25-23, 25-23, 26-24) as the teams were only separated by a grand total of six points in the end.
That’s pretty close in any scholastic sport but on that night, the Eastern frontline duo of Adrianna Reay and Gabby Caucci did all the damage over a combined 42-kill assault.
The swings were loud by the senior duo with Reay dropping down a team-high 26 kills while Caucci added 16 to pace the offense.
And generating all those offensive chances to swing at the ball was setter Naseem Hennouch as she dished out 41 assists.
Reay helped out defensively with six digs, Caucci added 16 of her own, and Kamila Mateo Rivera added 11 over the winning effort.
Hennouch chipped in five digs and an ace while Mateo Rivera added a kill and three aces over another complete match effort.
The Red Devils ended their season at 18-6 overall and proved to be a tough out in the end.
Eastern needed a little extra to end the contest, wining the final set by a 26-24 final and that two-point win ended just like every other game that evening.
Stratford’s Maliah Servino had a good match, adding five kills, 11 digs while blocking six shots, Sami Torreso added 12 assists while Estella Feenstra tallied six kills and 20 digs, but the outfit could not top the surging Lancers.
Twenty-five percent of Class L belongs to teams from Bristol
The Lancers aren’t the only squad from Bristol to tally a win on Thursday night as No. 9 Bristol Central cashed in on a 3-0 sweep against No. 8 Guilford in Class L play — meaning that 25-percent of the bracket belongs to squads from the Mum City.
And, for you fans out there dreaming big, the only match-up that could commence between Central and Eastern in postseason play would come in the Class L championship round.
Now, wouldn’t that be something as the teams split the season series at 1-1.
Why not settle the score in a championship encounter next Saturday from East Haven High School?
Lancers versus Lancers
The Kingstreeters will be in action on Saturday, in a Class L quarterfinal showdown, against No. 2 Waterford (19-4) — who are also nicknamed the Lancers.
Match time is scheduled for 6 p.m. from Waterford High School — right off Route 1 (at a very weird intersection).
Waterford has two big swingers on the front line in the form of Emmerson Lane and Jennifer Macca-Barnes.
Both competitors have 200-plus kills on the season and the Eastern defense must be wary when the duo are positioned to swing at the net.
Lane has over 60 blocks on the campaign while setter Danica Agsalud tallied over 600 assists this season – keeping the squad in position on offense.
The showdown between the two Lancers’ programs should be a tremendous one on Saturday as the winner qualifies for a Class L semifinal berth.
Bristol Eastern Volleyball — Class L, Second Round challenge
No. 10 BRISTOL EASTERN 3, No. 7 STRATFORD 0
from Stratford High School
Set Scores: 25-23, 25,23 and 26-24.
Highlights: Bristol Eastern — Adrianna Reay 26 kills, six digs; Gabby Caucci 16 kills, 16 digs; Naseem Hennouch 41 assists, five digs, ace; Kamila Mateo Rivera 11 digs, three aces; Stratford — Maliah Servino five kills, 11 digs, six blocks; Sami Torreso 12 assists; Estella Feenstra six kills, 20 digs.
Records: Bristol Eastern 14-8 overall; Stratford 18-6.
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