CAL Volleyball Preview: With hot start, Newburyport looks to be surprise team
Sep. 14—Georgetown
Coach Alexis Bedard: (6th year, 48-87)
2021 record: 7-13, lost in D5 Round of 16
Returning Lettermen: Lexirose Aulson, Sr., libero; Lily Chaplin, Sr., OH; Ava Hughes, Sr., MH; Molly Furlong, Sr., MH; Keira Cooper, Sr., setter; Olivia Ribeiro, Sr., OH; Ava Ruggerio, Jr., setter; Jacqueline Carter, Jr., MH; Jacqueline Soucy, Soph., OH; Rowan Richards, Soph., OH; Hannah Stevens, Soph., MH
Newcomers: Ava Fair, Frosh., MH
Captains: Lexirose Aulson, Lily Caplin, Ava Hughes
Returning honorees: Lexirose Aulson: CAL All-Star
Odds and ends: Georgetown has started the season 1-1 after a win over Triton and a loss to Newburyport. ... Both Ava Ruggeiro and Ava Fair were standouts for the softball team last spring.
Assistants: Josh Keilty
Newburyport
Coach Lori Solazzo: (6th year, 35-51)
2021 record: 9-12, lost in Division 3 First Round
Returning Lettermen: Sophia Messina, Sr., MH; Emma Foley, Sr., MH; Zoey Calitri, Jr., OH; Madeline Heath, Jr., setter; Lilian LeDuc, Jr., OH; Audrey Loughran, Jr., MH; Elizabeth Metsker, Jr., OH; Maria Olsen, Jr., MH; Juliet Brzozowski, Soph., OH; Nora Geerlings, Soph., OH
Newcomers: Beatrice Cortecci, Sr., MH; Viive Godtfredsen, Sr., OH
Captains: Sophia Messina, Viive Godtfredsen, Emma Foley
Returning honorees: Sophia Messina: Daily News All-Star, CAL All-Star
Odds and ends: With a good amount of returners plus some promising newcomers, Newburyport is in line for a big year. ... The Clippers are already 3-0 on the fall after wins over Georgetown, Masconomet and Hamilton-Wenham. ... Newcomer and senior captain Viive Godtfredsen has impressed early on. ... Fellow senior captain Emma Foley is a Daily News All-Star basketball player.
Assistants: Paula Stallard, Sara Cokonis
Pentucket
Coach Kelly Lyons: (1st year)
2021 record: 2-14, didn't make tournament
Returning Lettermen: Emme Terry, Jr., setter; Ava Snyder, Jr., MB; Jocelyn Bickford, Soph., OH; Mia Bartholomew, Soph., MB; Maisie King, Soph., RS
Newcomers: Olivia Chaves, Jr., RS; Clara Cavallini, Soph., DS; Shannon Christopher, Soph., libero; Brie Brancato, Soph., DS; Kat Valeri, Soph., DS; Kailyn Cray, Soph., setter; Lizzie Hayes, Soph., DS; Emily Bethmann, Soph., OH; Carly Foley, Frosh., OH
Captains: Emme Terry, Ava Snyder, Jocelyn Bickford
Returning honorees: None
Odds and ends: Pentucket welcomes first-year head coach Kelly Lyons, who replaces John McNamara, to the sidelines. Lyons served as an assistant coach for the Panthers last fall. ... The team has started out the season 0-2 after losses to Ipswich and Lynnfield. ... There are no seniors on the roster, but the program has a good amount of developing young talent.
Assistants: Amy Foley
Triton
Coach Bob Van Etten: (4th year, 20-37)
2021 record: 11-9, CAL Kinney champion,
Returning Lettermen: Emma Campbell, Sr., MH; Trinity Cole, Sr., libero; Grace Romine, Sr., OH; Brianna Welch, Sr., OH; Madeline Doring, Jr., utility; Olivia Karvielis, Jr., OH; Elise Kirkpatrick, Jr., setter; Kendall Liebert, Jr., MH; Alexandra McManus, Jr., OH; Laura Zahornasky, Soph., setter
Newcomers: Haleigh Harris, Sr., libero; Taryn Lebreck, Jr., MH; Genevieve Young, Jr., libero
Captains: Emma Campbell, Grace Romine, Brianna Welch
Returning honorees: Emma Campbell: Daily News All-Star, CAL All-Star
Odds and ends: The defending CAL Kinney champions have started the year 0-2 after losses to strong Georgetown and Lynnfield teams. ... Kendall Liebert averaged 13.4 ppg for the basketball team last winter. ... Haleigh Harris was the standout catcher for the softball team last spring. ... Sophomore setter Laura Zahornasky is the younger sister of Nicole Zahornasky, who was a senior hitter for Pentucket last fall.
Assistants: Karen Christian
