By Michael Letendre
NAUGATUCK – The Bristol Central volleyball program reached new heights over the past two scholastic seasons.
The team won seven state tournament games, were the 2022 Class L and 2023 CCC Tournament runner-ups and are two time CCC South Champions.
That was all new territory for the program, blazed by the outstanding upperclass grouping the Rams have counted on.
Who can sneeze at a 19-9 season, a schedule that included just every heavy-hitter in the CCC plus several of the best programs in the Class L playoff bracket?
Simply put, it was a tremendous two year run for the Bristol Central volleyball program even after losing a boatload of seniors from the previous year.
“That’s kind of been the focal point. A lot of teams would have overlooked us,” said Central coach Lance Pepper of his squad. “There’s no way you lose four starters from a state finals team and bounce back playing against a really good team in St. Joe’s with a shot to move on [to the finals]. And I told [my players after the game] we were losing to teams with five players in summer league [and] tryouts were not easy on me.”
“And now here we are.”
Central went all the way to the finals of the CCC Tournament, sinking RHAM in a huge bout along the way, and then picked off top ranked East Lyme in a Class L quarterfinal round showdown.
How many other teams in the state can say that took out multiple top-10 programs like that after losing all those clutch starters?
“It’s a testament to how hard these kids work,” said Pepper of Central’s success.
That group was headlined by the stellar play of senior setter Alex Rivera – a soon to be All-Stater who excelled at everything she did on the court.
Rivera headlined Central’s CCC South All-Conference selections along with Daigelis Figueroa, Grace Higgins and Lily Kirk.
Higgins and Kirk joined Rivera as captains of the program this season but in terms of the league’s best setters, the senior ball distributor ranked up with the best of them.
Just watching her play on the court, it was evident Rivera was a leader in all facets of the game.
In 95 sets, she tallied 837 assists – playing her position of traffic conductor to near protection.
Rivera posted over 300 digs, led off the serving duties every match – nabbing 41 aces along the way – and blocked 22 shots.
She’s a model setter any program would love to have its players emulate.
Rivera consistently communicated with the team and backed up her talk with all-out effort on the court.
When a setter tallies 40 kills, it speaks volumes about this tremendous multi-talented performer.
However, it’s not just about on the court awards and accolades for the senior standout.
“She’s probably a once-in-a-program kid,” said Pepper of Rivera. “And it’s well beyond the records and the accolades that she’s going to get. She’s a kid that walks down the school and teachers have nothing but positive stuff to say about her. She’s a class act in the classroom.”
“She’s been such a great leader for these kids and she takes the younger kids under her wings and she wants what’s best for the team.”
Fellow senior Leah Sklenka battled injuries throughout the season, posting 32 kills over 46 sets.
She also nabbed 26 aces and bumped up 51 digs as her loss stole a bit of the program’s depth.
Fellow seniors Lindsey Brothwell and Kate Schilling also proved a little on court support when called upon.
Rivera wasn’t the only captain on the squad as Higgins and Kirk have been excellent leaders since this run began last year.
Higgins, in 95 sets, smashed home 340 kills and dropped down 48 aces – both team highs at Central.
The junior boosted 284 digs and was a baller in both of Central’s offensive and defensive schemes.
Her leadership role will increase next season and the athlete is going to have another special year in her final scholastic campaign when 2024 rolls around.
What more can be said about Kirk that hasn’t already been said?
This kid was born to run, jump and leap all over a volleyball court and before her time is done at BCHS, she has a chance to be one of the all-time greats.
Even though injury, she just missed out on a 300-kill campaign (296) but led the squad in kills per set with a 4.3 clip.
She also tallied 199 digs and even blocked a shot or two along the way.
Higgins and Kirk are athletes you want if you’re building a successful program.
And did Figueroa ever let the ball drop on her side of the court this season?
There weren’t many as she nabbed a team-high 593 digs and added 34 assists when Rivera was attempting to chase down the ball.
Figueroa added 38 aces and, along with Higgins and Kirk, the junior competitor will be taking more of a leadership role with the program next year.
Don’t forget the ‘support staff’ of junior Emily Fontaine (88 kills, 41 aces), sophomore Ella Pratt (33 kills, team-leading 40 blocks) and freshman Isabella Alves (97 kills, 34 blocks, 42 aces, 124 digs).
Those three players helped with big swings and plenty of defense to augment the Higgins/Kirk duo.
If these three players can continue their upward trajectory, Central should be right in the CCC mix of good teams once again next year.
Not just good players but good students (and people)
One of the impressive aspect about the team is the classroom component.
These girls hit the books just as hard as they spike the ball.
Well-round student athletes typically excel in life, long after their scholastic days are over and these players understand that exact notion.
“[They put the work] in the classroom,” said Pepper. “I told them that the number of parents who come up to us as coaches and said, ‘your character and the respect and the class out of our kids is something that goes so much further than anything on the court.’”
All TBE readers, supporters and donors
The Bristol Edition will be limiting the number of stories non-members and free readers may access each week. This decision is based on our financial projections and, most certainly, to remind people that TBE is serious about providing accurate, timely and thorough reporting for Bristol. To do this we have devised a financial support structure that makes unlimited access extremely affordable, beginning with a $6 monthly donation.
- Non-members will be able to access four (4) articles per week.
- Free readers and people who have subscribed by email will be able to access four (4) articles per week.
- Donors and financial supporters will have unlimited access as long as they log in.
Note: Donors may have to contact TBE if they find they are being limited, since we will need to set up a membership account for you. Email editor@bristoledition.org for instructions. Sorry for any inconvenience. People with financial difficulties may write editor@bristoledition.org to be considered for free access.
