THE HOME OF WEST HAVEN SPORTS
Jenna Johnson (8) and the Westies topped Sacred Heart Academy in the season opener at West Haven High, September 8, 2022. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
Asia Ford (23) and the Westies topped Sacred Heart Academy in the season opener at West Haven High, September 8, 2022. Photo courtesy of Todd Dandelske.
VOLLEYBALL 2022
Westies top SHA
West Haven sharp in season opener
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(September 8, 2022) - The West Haven volleyball team is well aware of the strength of its schedule. A quick start is always helpful to jump start the season with a goal of playing in the state tournament.
Senior Jenna Johnson made sure the Westies started the season with a victory. Serving four straight aces, Johnson led West Haven to a 23-13 fourth game lead and West Haven never looked in defeating Sacred Heart Academy 25-13, 25-23, 21-25, 25-18 in the season opener for both teams at West Haven High Thursday evening.
“As a team, we have been working so hard to remain positive and maintain a total team atmosphere and all of that work showed,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “We played so well and when we got down, we fought back to get an incredible win to start the season. I couldn't be more proud of this team.”
After winning the first game, West Haven was in a battle in the second game, trailing 23-22, before scoring the last three points on a kill by Tanasia Fidalgo, and a pair of aces by Asia Ford for a 25-23 victory.
The Westies led 18-17 in the third game on a kill by Johnson, but the Sharks closed the game on an 8-3 run to force a fourth game.
“Alison (Frazer), Dulce (Castillo), and Jordyn (Johnson) were unstoppable on defense and serve receive, and Asia (Ford) and Olivia (McDonnell) made a ton of big plays at the net,” Coldren said. “Jenna (Johnson) played a very consistent smart game, which is important as the setter of the team. Everyone on the team supported each other and all of the seniors led the way. We have a long season ahead of us, but if we can maintain the energy we had tonight, we will be very successful.”
With Ford on the service line, West Haven jumped out to a 10-5 lead on a block by Fidalgo, an ace by Ford, and a kill by Dulcemaria Castillo. A block by Ford increased the lead to 16-12, before Ford’s kill increased the margin to 19-13.
Johnson then took over as four aces increased the lead to 23-13. The Sharks rolled off four straight points, before West Haven pulled off the victory.
Westies fall to Hamden
Comeback falls short in 3-2 loss
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(September 12, 2022) - The West Haven girls volleyball team fell to 1-1 with a hard-fought 3-2 loss at Hamden Monday evening. Trailing 2-0, the Westies rallied back, but came up just short in the loss by scores of 20-25, 23-25, 27-25, 25-15, 11-15.
“It was a tough loss, but a huge learning experience for us as a team,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “They are really showing me how much heart they have. They had their backs against the wall and they came back fighting. I'm beyond proud of them. We just had a few mental errors in the fifth set that were very unfortunate, and led to the loss.”
The Westies lost the first two games, before rallying in the next two. West Haven won a nail-biter in the third game, before cruising in the fourth. Unfortunately, the rally ended in a four-point loss in the final game.
“Asia (Ford) was strong in both the front and back row,” Coldren said. “Sarah Davey had a fantastic game for her first time playing varsity. Our defense was outstanding as well. Alison (Frazer), Madison (Scillia), Taylor (Alfano) and Jordyn (Johnson) picked up everything. I'm confident that we will recover quickly in order to play Cross.”
Sarah Davey ran the offense with 15 assists, while also playing solid on defense with 17 digs. Asia Ford had 13 digs, Alison Frazer and Taylor Alfano each had 12 digs, and Jordyn Johnson and Madison Scillia each had seven digs.
Ford led the offense with seven kills and four aces, while Olivia McDonnell added six kills and five aces.
Bouncing Back
West Haven rebounds to defeat Wilbur Cross
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(September 13, 2022) - West Haven coach Kate Coldren and her squad needed just one day to bounce back from a nail-biting loss to Hamden. After suffering another close loss in the first game, the Westies got back on track and rebounded to defeat Wilbur Cross 24-26, 25-16, 25-14, 25-15 in New Haven Tuesday evening.
“It took a game to wake up,” Coldren said. “When we got our feet under us, we played well. We gradually got better as the game went on. Cross is a scrappy team, so we had to be smart and try to find holes in their defense. After the first two games, we were able to really get our serves and offense going.”
“Asia (Ford) and Olivia (McDonnell) both had great games and dominated at the net,” Coldren said. “Alison (Frazer) and Dulcemaria (Castillo) played very consistent in the back row.”
Jenna Johnson ran the offense with 18 assists, while Asia Ford had 10 kills, eight digs, four aces, and three blocks, and Olivia McDonnell had six aces, six kills, and four digs.
Alison Frazer added seven digs and four aces, while Dulcemaria Castillo chipped in five digs and four kills.
Two in a Row
West Haven rolls past Career
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(September 15, 2022) - The West Haven volleyball team won its second straight contest and improved to 3-1 on the year with a 3-1 home victory over Career Thursday evening. With the 25-6, 24-26 25-16, 25-18 victory, West Haven improved to 3-1 on the year.
“It was a solid team effort,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “We started off very strong and played great. In the second game, we let up and gave them some confidence and momentum, but we came back and got the win. As a team, we served and passed tough, so we were able to run our offense and score a lot of points off of serves.”
Jenna Johnson ran the offense with 13 assists and four aces, Asia Ford had seven aces and six kills, Alison Frazer had nine aces, and Olivia McDonnell had eight kills and four aces.
Dulcemaria Castillo, Frazer, and Astrid Portugal Morales had six digs, while Shannon Hoey added four digs.
“Asia (Ford) and Olivia (McDonnell) were solid at the net,” Coldren said. “Tanasia (Fidalgo) played well too. Alison (Frazer), Dulce (Castillo) and Astrid (Portugal Morales) played great on defense.”
Rally Time
Westies win thriller in comeback fashion
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(September 19, 2022) - The West Haven volleyball team won its third consecutive match and improved to 4-1 on the season with a 3-2 victory over Branford Monday evening at West Haven High. The Westies lost the first two games, but battled back in the dramatic victory to win by scores of 21-25, 22-25, 25-22, 25-8, 15-13.
“I'm so proud of this team tonight,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “We fought back from being down 2-0. We dug deep and found the energy we were lacking in the first two games and were able to pull this one out. Moving forward, we have to do better as a team to start off stronger and take control of the game.”
After falling in the first two games, the Westies battled to win the third game, before controlling the fourth game. A back-and-forth fifth game went to the Westies to preserve their third straight victory.
“Olivia (McDonnell) was tremendous at the net and Asia's (Ford) serves were on point,” Coldren said. “After a slow start, the defense really stepped up and Alison (Frazer) and Astrid (Portugal Morales) led the way.”
Jenna Johnson ran the offense with 25 assists, while also adding seven digs and four aces. Olivia McDonnell and Asia Ford were forces at the net as McDonnell finished with 16 kills, four blocks, and four digs, while Ford had 14 aces, eight kills and eight digs.
Alison Frazer was stellar defensively with 16 digs, while Tanasia Fidalgo had six kills and four digs, and Jordyn Johnson, Dulcemaria Castillo, and Astrid Portugal Morales each had five digs in the win.
Sweep
Westies cruise past Norwalk
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(September 21, 2022) - The winning streak has reached four matches for the West Haven volleyball team. With another impressive team effort, the Westies improved to 5-1 with a 25-8 25-19 25-18 victory at Norwalk Wednesday evening.
“It was a total team effort tonight,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “We served tough and that made all the difference. Our passing was a little inconsistent, but we definitely pulled it together when we needed to.”
For the Westies, it was not just one player which made an impact. Coldren’s crew all contributed in some phase of the game.
“Asia (Ford), Astrid (Portugal Morales), and Olivia (McDonnell) were fantastic on the service line,” Coldren said. “Jenna (Johnson) played great and made smart decisions on offense. Everyone that came in off the bench was ready to go, and I couldn't have asked for a better team effort.”
Offensively, Asia Ford led the way with nine kills and eight aces. Jenna Johnson had six assists and three aces, Olivia McDonnell had four aces and three kills, and Astrid Portugal Morales added five aces in the win.
On the defensive side, Alison Frazer led the Westies with six digs. Jenna Johnson had five digs, Dulcemaria Castillo added four digs, and Ford had three blocks.
High Five
Westies top Hillhouse to improve to 6-1
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(September 22, 2022) - The winning ways continued for the West Haven volleyball team as the Westies posted their fifth straight victory with a 3-0 home victory over Hillhouse Thursday evening. The 25-18, 25-9, 25-15 victory improved West Haven’s record to 6-1 on the year.
“Our team as a whole played well tonight.” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “We served tough and consistent. We set the pace and played our level of volleyball.”
Jenna Johnson led the way for West Haven with nine assists, five aces, and three digs. Asia Ford had eight aces, five kills, four blocks, and two digs, and Dulcemaria Castillo added four aces and four digs. Jordyn Johnson chipped in five aces, Alison Frazer had two aces and four digs, and Olivia McDonnell had two aces and four kills.
“Jenna (Johnson), Asia (Ford), Jordyn (Johnson) and Dulce (Castillo) served well tonight, and Asia, Olivia (McDonnell) and Tanasia (Fidalgo) handled everything at the net.”
Guilford tops Westies
Winning streak ends at five
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(September 27, 2022) - The West Haven volleyball team saw its five-match winning streak come to an end with a 3-1 loss at Guilford Tuesday evening. The loss dropped the Westies to 6-2 on the year.
“It was not a good night,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “We struggled to be on the same page tonight. We couldn't put together a pass, set, hit consistently to get our offense going and the frustration was written all over their faces. As a result, we had a total breakdown in communication. It was just an off night.”
Jenna Johnson led the Westies with 19 assists and 16 digs, Astrid Portugal Morales had 11 digs, 7 kills and three assists, while Jordyn Johnson had 14 digs and Bianka Portugal Morales added 11 digs.
Alison Frazer added eight digs, Asia Ford had six kills and six digs, and Olivia McDonnell had seven kills.
“Despite the struggle, both Astrid (Portugal Morales) and Bianka (Portugal Morales) played great,” Coldren said. “They stepped up and handled the ball well on both offense and defense. We have a quick turnaround to Foran and we have to regroup and get back on track.”
Back on Track
Westies top Foran
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(September 28, 2022) - The West Haven volleyball team needed just one day to get back on the winning track. One day after falling to Guilford, the Westies inched closer to the postseason with a 3-1 victory at Foran.
The 25-19, 16-25, 25-12, 25-16 victory helped the Westies improve to 7-2 on the year.
“Tonight was a much better night,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “We still had to dig deep for some energy and communication, but they did and I feel like we are in a much better place.”
Jenna Johnson controlled the game for West Haven with 33 assists, while also adding seven digs and two kills. Alison Frazer had 15 digs, Olivia McDonnell added 15 kills, while Asia Ford had 10 kills, 10 digs, three blocks, and three aces.
“Jenna (Johnson) was outstanding tonight,” Coldren said. “She made really smart setting decisions and took control of the offense. Olivia (McDonnell) and Asia (Ford) were a force at the net, and Mya (Flemming) and Tanasia (Fidalgo) made a huge contribution in the front row. It was good to see them bounce back from a rough game last night.”
Tanasia Fidalgo had six kills, and Astrid Portugal Morales added six digs.
Shelton blanks Westies
WH falls 3-0
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(October 1, 2022) - The West Haven volleyball team fell to Shelton Saturday afternoon 3-0. The 25-23, 25-18, 25-22 loss dropped the Westies to 7-3 on the year.
“it was a tough loss today because we played hard and just couldn't finish when we really needed to,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “Defensively, we were unstoppable, but we struggled to turn that into offense, which would have given us the edge.”
Jenna Johnson led the Westies with 16 assists and 11 digs. Alison Frazer was stellar on defense with 19 digs, Asia Ford had 11 digs, seven kills, and four blocks, while Dulcemaria Castillo added 10 digs.
Jordyn Johnson chipped in six digs, Astrid Portugal Morales had five digs, and Olivia McDonnell chipped in five kills.
“Jenna (Johnson), Dulce (Castillo), and Alison (Frazer) were outstanding in the back row,” Coldren said. “Asia (Ford) and Olivia (McDonnell) did well at the net. All in all, we came out with energy and communicated well and I'm proud of our teamwork today.”
SHA edges Westies
WH falls 3-2
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(October 3, 2022) - The West Haven volleyball team dropped its second straight match and fell to 7-4 on the year with a 3-2 loss at Sacred Heart Academy Monday evening. The scores of the match were 24-26, 25-20, 21-25, 25-13, 5-15.
“Tonight was tough,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “We have to be more consistent and disciplined in everything we do moving forward. We have to go back to the basics and remember what made us successful a couple weeks ago. If we can stay focused on the goal, we should be able to be more successful in the second half of the season.”
The Westies twice rallied after losing a game, but could not pick up the victory in the final game when the Sharks rolled to the 10-point win.
“Asia (Ford), Bianka (Portugal Morales), and Olivia (McDonnell) played well at the net,” Coldren said. “Jenna (Johnson) and Astrid (Portugal Morales) both had a good night on defense.”
Asia Ford led the Westies with 16 kills, 12 digs, and eight blocks. Jenna Johnson added 24 assists and 14 digs, Astrid Portugal Morales had 10 digs, while Olivia McDonnell added eight kills, and Bianka Portugal Morales had eight kills and six digs.
Postseason Bound
WH tops Cross to qualify for state tournament
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(October 6, 2022) - The West Haven volleyball team snapped a two-match losing streak and qualified for the postseason with a 25-15, 25-19, 25-19 victory over Wilbur Cross. The eighth victory of the season sealed a berth in the state tournament and helped the Westies improve to 8-4 on the year.
“I'm so happy for this team,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “They have worked hard to get to this point in the season and qualify for states! Tonight was a solid team effort, although we had some moments where we lacked focus. We did what we needed to do to finish.”
The Westies received a solid team effort in the 3-0 victory as Jenna Johnson ran the offense with 19 assists and six digs on the defensive side. Olivia McDonnell had 10 kills, while Asia Ford added nine kills and six digs.
“Again, Asia (Ford) and Olivia (McDonnell) played well at the net,” Coldren said. “Alison (Frazer) and Dulce (Castillo) were consistent in the back row. Jenna (Johnson) also had a good night and controlled the offense and made smart decisions.”
Alison Frazer chipped in seven digs defensively, Astrid Portugal Morales had four aces and three digs, while Jordyn Johnson had four digs.
Two in a Row
WH sweeps Career to move to 9-4
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(October 7, 2022) - The West Haven volleyball team won its second straight contest and improved to 9-4 with a 25-19, 25-19, 25-15 victory at Career Friday evening.
“It was a good win for the team tonight,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “Despite a pretty loud and chaotic gym, we got the job done and worked hard to do it.”
The close match saw the Westies prevail in each game, winning the first two games by six points apiece.
Jenna Johnson had a solid game for the Westies with 16 assists on the offensive side and eight digs on defense. Alison Frazer had 11 digs, and Astrid Portugal Morales added six digs.
“Asia (Ford) was outstanding tonight on defense and with her serves,” Coldren said. “Olivia (McDonnell) was tough at the net tonight as well. We still have some tightening up to do with our skills to get ready for the rest of the season and the post season, but I'm confident we will do what needs to be done.”
Olivia McDonnell had 13 kills, while Asia Ford had a solid contest with 14 digs, six aces, four kills, and three blocks.
Streak Over
Branford sweeps Westies
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(October 10, 2022) - After winning two straight contests, the West Haven volleyball team saw its mini win streak come to an end with a 3-0 loss at Branford. The 20-25, 23-25, 22-25 loss dropped the Westies to 9-5 on the year.
“It definitely wasn't our day,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “We struggled to get anything going on offense. Branford has some tough servers and we didn't have any consistency with our passing. We can't beat a good team if we struggle to get the ball to our hitters.”
After starting the season with six wins in the first seven games, the Westies have hit a rough patch, winning just three of the next seven contests.
“Jenna (Johnson) played really well today and was much more consistent with her sets,” Coldren said. “She did as much as she could with the passes she was getting. We definitely have some work to do to regroup and get back on track.”
West Haven defeated Branford earlier in the year and was in every game, but could not find the consistency needed to pull out the victory.
Jenna Johnson led the way for West Haven with 11 assists, nine digs, three aces, and two kills. Dulcemaria Castillo had nine digs, while Asia Ford had seven kills and four aces, and Alison Frazer added six digs.
Westies top Hillhouse
WH improves to 10-5 with 3-0 victory
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(October 14, 2022) - The West Haven volleyball team won its third match in four games and improved to 10-5 on the year with a 3-0 victory at Hillhouse Friday afternoon. The scores of the match were 25-11, 30-28, and 25-12.
“It was a total team effort tonight,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “We let down a bit in the second set, but when we got back to playing our positions and communicating, we played well. Our serving was key and making sure our free ball passes were on point. We did both and it got the job done.”
After cruising to the victory in the opening game, the Westies had to battle in the second game, before prevailing by two points. The Westies then cruised to the third set victory.
“Asia (Ford) and Alison (Frazer) served great and Olivia (McDonnell), Mya (Flemming) and Asia (Ford) handled everything at the net,” Coldren said. “We have a huge week ahead of us and we need to make the final push to have as many wins as possible for better placement in the SCC and state tournaments.”
Asia Ford led the Westies with eight aces, eight kills, and four digs. Hudanur Sahin had 11 assists and five digs, Alison Frazer added 10 digs and five aces, Olivia McDonnell had six kills, and Bianka Portugal Morales chipped in five digs.
Guilford tops West Haven
Westies fall to 10-6 with 3-1 loss
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(October 17, 2022) - The West Haven volleyball team fell to 10-6 with a 3-1 loss against Guilford. The contest at West Haven High saw the Westies fall 25-23, 17-25, 25-17, 25-14.
“We were very inconsistent tonight and unfortunately you can't win games when you can't put a pass, set, hit sequence together more often,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “We would get a great run and then we'd let them back in the game and shift the confidence to their side. We have to figure out how not to dwell on mistakes and just fix them and move forward.”
Jenna Johnson led the Westies with 14 assists and 11 digs. Asia Ford added 13 digs and nine kills, Alison Frazer added 12 digs, Dulcemaria Castillo had 10 digs, Tanasia Fidalgo played well with nine digs, Jordyn Johnson had eight digs, and Astrid Portugal Morales chipped six aces and four digs. Bianka Portugal Morales chipped in five digs in the loss.
“Asia (Ford) played really well on both offense and defense,” Coldren said. “Alison (Frazer) and Jordyn (Johnson) were fantastic on defense, and Bianka (Portugal Morales) and Astrid (Portugal Morales) continue to work hard and play extremely well no matter where I put them.”
Westies rally past Hamden
WH posts win in five games
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(October 19, 2022) - Following a tough loss to Guilford, the West Haven volleyball team had yet another challenging match. This, the Westies came out on the right side of the scoreboard.
In what was a back and forth battle, West Haven topped Hamden 23-25, 26-24, 22-25, 25-17, 15-9 Wednesday evening in West Haven. With the victory, West Haven improved to 11-6 on the season.
“This was an awesome win for us,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “We started off a bit slow but we found our rhythm and stayed focused on the goal. Everyone stepped up and did their job and worked as a team, and I'm beyond proud of them.”
Trailing 2-1 in games, West Haven battled back to win the fourth game by eight points, then held on in the fifth and final game to pick up the victory.
“Asia (Ford) was outstanding on both offense and defense,” Coldren said. “Tanasia (Fidalgo) made a huge contribution as well. Dulce (Castillo), Jordyn (Johnson), and Alison (Frazer) were fantastic in the back row. We really need to keep this momentum going into our last three regular season games so we can finish with the best record possible.”
Asia Ford led the Westies with 20 kills, 10 digs, and nine blocks. Alison Frazer was solid on defense with 13 digs, Tanasia Fidalgo had 12 digs and five kills, Hudanur Sahin added 14 assists and nine digs, while Jordyn Johnson had eight digs and Astrid Portugal Morales chipped in seven digs.
Big Win
WH sweeps Foran
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(October 21, 2022) - The West Haven volleyball team won its second straight contest with a 3-0 decision over Foran Friday evening. With the home victory by scores of 25-22, 25-21, 25-13, West Haven improved to 12-6 on the year.
“It was a great win today,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “I feel like we have really found a good rhythm as a team. They are trusting each other and putting the team first at such an important point in the season. They are working hard and making smart plays. Asia (Ford) and Alison (Frazer) had another great game, and Jenna (Johnson) really stepped up today.”
Jenna Johnson ran the West Haven offense with 28 assists, six kills, and two aces, while also adding nine digs on defense. Asia Ford was dominant with 18 kills and 11 digs, Alison Frazer had 17 digs and three aces, while Dulcemaria Castillo had 11 digs.
Jordyn Johnson finished with seven digs, Olivia McDonnell had seven kills, Tanasia Fidalgo and Astrid Portugal Morales each added six digs, while Bianka Portugal Morales and Emma Davey each had five digs.
Blanked
Shelton sweeps WH
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(October 24, 2022) - The West Haven volleyball team saw its two-match win streak come to an end with a 3-0 loss at Shelton Monday evening. With the 23-25, 21-25, 19-25 defeat, West Haven fell to 12-7 on the year.
“It was definitely a frustrating loss tonight,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “We had a couple of leads and made silly mistakes that let them back in the game. We have to take advantage of situations like that when they are given to us. We also have to let mistakes go and make adjustments so they don't happen again.”
While the Westies were in each game, they could not pull ahead or get the crucial point needed. The end result saw the Gaels win by two points in the opening game, four in the second game, and six in the third.
“Dulce (Castillo), Jordyn (Johnson) and Astrid (Portugal Morales) all played great on defense,” Coldren said. “Tanasia (Fidalgo) had some really smart plays at the net, and Jenna (Johnson) had a solid game both setting and on defense.”
Jenna Johnson ran the West Haven offense with 23 assists, three kills, and two aces, while also adding nine digs on the defensive side. Dulcemaria Castillo was solid with 14 digs and four aces, Asia Ford had 11 kills, seven digs, and three aces, Jordyn Johnson and Astrid Portugal Morales each had seven digs, Alison Frazer added six digs, and Tanasia Fidalgo and Olivia McDonnell each had five kills.
Westies fall on Senior Night
North Branford post 3-1 victory
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(October 26, 2022) - With Senior Night always a big part of the season, the West Haven volleyball was looking to send its seniors off on the right foot to end the regular season. The Westies were also looking to improve their postseason seeding.
Unfortunately for the Westies, North Branford proved to be too much, sending West Haven to a 3-1 loss. The 20-25, 25-16, 23-25, 24-26 defeat ended West Haven’s regular season with a record of 12-8.
“Tonight was definitely not the outcome we wanted, but it was still a special night to honor the seniors,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “I'm beyond proud of them and I can't stress enough how much I appreciate all of their hard work throughout their high school career. This is truly a special group of young women and it has been a pleasure coaching them.”
Jenna Johnson ran the West Haven offense with 17 assists, while also adding 12 digs on defense. Asia Ford had a solid night with 14 kills, six blocks and six digs, Dulcemaria Castillo added 11 digs and five kills, Alison Frazer had eight digs, and Astrid Portugal Morales and Jordyn Johnson each had seven digs.“
All of the seniors played very well tonight and made a contribution to the game,” Coldren said. “We are definitely looking forward to playing Sacred Heart again on Friday (SCC tournament).”
Westies top SHA
WH posts SCC first round victory
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(October 28, 2022) - Having a successful regular season, the West Haven volleyball team was looking for success in the postseason. The Westies have gotten off to a successful start.
On its game from start to finish, No. 8 West Haven topped No. 9 Sacred Heart Academy 3-0 in the opening round of the Southern Connecticut Conference tournament Friday evening at West Haven High. The 25-19 25-11 25-21 victory allowed the Westies to improve to 13-8 overall on the year.
“This was a great win for us tonight,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “It gave us some confidence going into the post season and it always feels good to beat a rival like SHA. We played pretty solid as a team, and although we started off a little quiet and tentative, we quickly got back to playing our game.”
Jenna Johnson led the Westies with 18 assists, while Olivia McDonnell had 10 kills. Bianka Portugal Morales added nine digs, and Jordyn Johnson, Asia Ford and Alison Frazer each chipped in seven digs.
Ford also had six kills and four blocks, while Astrid Portugal Morales had five aces and four digs, and Tanasia Fidalgo added three kills and three digs.
“Olivia (McDonnell) had a big night at the net, along with Asia (Ford) and Tanasia (Fidalgo),” Coldren said. “Bianka (Portugal Morales), Asia (Ford), and Jordyn (Johnson) all did well on defense.”
Cheshire sweeps Westies
WH eliminated from SCC tournament
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(November 1, 2022) - The run for the West Haven volleyball team in the Southern Connecticut Conference tournament came to a quick end Tuesday evening. Facing a tough top-seeded Cheshire squad, the Westies were defeated 3-0.
The 25-6, 25-15, 25-15 loss to the Rams dropped West Haven’s overall record to 13-9 on the year.
“Tonight was tough,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “We struggled to pass against some really good servers and we couldn't run our offense the way we usually do. We had some really great moments, but unfortunately there weren't enough of them. Tonight definitely was a learning experience and we know what we need to do to get ready for states.”
Asia Ford led the Westies in defeat with seven digs, three blocks and three kills. Jenna Johnson had five assists and four digs, Astrid Portugal Morales chipped in five digs and three aces, while Olivia McDonnell added four kills and three blocks, and Bianka Portugal Morales had four digs.
“Asia (Ford) and Olivia (McDonnell) played well at the net and Astrid (Portugal Morales) was the most consistent of everyone with her serving and passing.”
Season Over
Darien tops Westies in state tournament
By MIKE MADERA
Westie Blue
(November 8, 2022) - The season has come to a close for the West Haven volleyball team. Traveling to play 14th-seeded Trumbull, the 19th-seeded Westies dropped a 3-0 decision in the opening round of the CIAC Class LL state tournament Tuesday evening in Trumbull.
With the 25-13, 25-15, 23-10 loss, the Westies finished the season with a 13-10 record.
“Trumbull was definitely a tough first round draw in this tournament,” West Haven coach Kate Coldren said. “Defensively, we played well after making some adjustments in the first set, but we still had some trouble converting it into offensive points. We let Trumbull get five to six points with each server and that's tough to come back from.”
Dulcemaria Castillo led the Westies with 11 digs and two kills, while Jenna Johnson had 11 assists and two digs. Astrid Portugal Morales added seven digs and three aces, Asia Ford had four digs and two kills, Tanasia Fidalgo chipped in three kills and three digs, and Olivia McDonnell had three kills, two aces, and two digs.
“Dulcemaria (Castillo) and Alison (Frazer) were outstanding in the back row,” Coldren said. “When we could get Asia (Ford) and Olivia (McDonnell) the ball, they were able to find some holes in their defense. But, sadly, it wasn't enough.
“I'm beyond proud of this team. They worked so hard this summer and all season. They showed some serious fight in a lot of our games and ended up with a very successful season. The seniors were the heart and soul of this team and they have battled through a lot the last couple of years. I know our program has grown tremendously with all of them involved. There aren't enough words to express how much we will miss them.”
Jordyn Johnson (two aces), Alison Frazer (two digs), and Mya Flemming (two kills) all played well in the loss.
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