With a young team and rookie coach, the Haddam-Killingworth volleyball squad steadily improved throughout the recent regular season and then carried its second-half surge well into the playoffs.

Led by first-year Head Coach Robin Callender, the reigning Shoreline Conference and Class S state champion Cougars returned only one starter from that club. HK’s inexperience initially showed in the standings with its 2-5 start, but then the Cougars went 8-5 the rest of the way to finish the regular season at 10-10. Following a 3-1 quarterfinal loss to eventual Shoreline Conference Tournament runner-up Morgan, the 18th-seeded Cougars (who moved up to Class M for states) dispatched No. 15 Plainville and No. 2 Bullard Havens Tech by 3-1 finals before taking a 3-0 loss in the quarterfinals against No. 7 Ellington.

“We all talked before the beginning of the year about not having the varsity experience, but still having the talent. We were hoping to make Shorelines and states, but we were more surprised that we were able to reach the state quarterfinals,” said Callender, HK’s former JV coach. “This year was ultra special for me because I coached many of these girls on the JV team the past three years. It was a great feeling to see the success we had at the end of the season. I told them that they just had to believe in themselves. Even in the last set versus Ellington, they were down 18-4, but ended up losing only 25-17. It was nice to know that they never gave up and gave 110 percent in practice and the matches.”

The Cougars’ only returning starter was senior captain outside hitter Carley Moyher, a First Team All-Shoreline selection. Moyher collected 281 kills, 248 service points, and 80 aces, while also leading the state in kill percentage at 63.6. Rounding out the six-athlete senior class were outside hitter-turned libero Sarah Criscuolo (Second Team All-Shoreline with 389 digs, which was tops in Class M), middle hitter Kyrie McCormick (167 kills, 176 service points, 43 blocks, 30 aces), right side hitter August Biondi (102 service points, 35 kills), defensive specialist Jaci McManus, and setter Kaela Schumann (145 assists, 66 service points).

“She was incredible. She took control, but was supportive of the other girls. She never gave up and was always courteous to the girls that were new to varsity,” Callender said on Moyher. “Jaci got into a car accident over the summer. I tried to get her to play in states, but the pain was still too much. Sarah sacrificed a lot to go from the outside to libero. Kyrie built up her confidence and had a strong second half. August started at the right side, but then she moved to playing defense by the second half of the year.”

In addition to her team reaching the round-of-8 in states, Coach Callender thought another watershed moment for the Cougars came on Oct. 26 with a five-set home victory over Morgan. Callender added that even though HK didn’t defend either of its thrones from last year, the team still displayed the true fire of a title contender by going through multiple marathon matches.

“We played our best match of the year against Morgan and that was the highlight of the year. Also, going to the quarterfinals was great. We had a strong offense, but they had a strong serving team. In the end, that’s what happened as our serve reception was off,” Callender said. “We played in 18 sets this year that went beyond 25 points, winning four of them. It shows our lack of experience for varsity, yet that still showed we are competitive. We were also unfamiliar with the teams in Class M, but they did a great job. They held up their heads after the Ellington match and I was proud of how they played.”

Next season, HK will welcome back sophomore setter and All-Shoreline Team Honorable Mention selection Kate Porter, as well as a trio of freshmen in right side hitter Emily Jennings (21 kills, 9 blocks in 12 matches), middle hitter Kristen Dansereau (18 kills, 3 blocks), and setter Alicia Sleight (31 service points, 31 assists). These athletes will play a big part on squad that will be a year wiser to the varsity beat with hopes of stirring up a recipe for an even deeper postseason journey next November.

“I was able to get those three freshmen into some matches to the point where I thought they’d have enough to accept the varsity challenge. So with them, plus the sophomores and juniors that saw significant playing time, we hope to be ready for next year,” said Callender. “We have to be ready because the Shoreline is so strong with its level of play and a lot of teams aren’t losing many seniors. We will just have to work hard and prepare.”

• The Cougars’ 3-2 win versus Morgan win came after the Huskies swept HK on Sept. 21. Also, following a 3-2 loss to Cromwell on Sept. 11, the Cougars avenged that defeat in a five-set triumph on Oct. 2.

• The teams HK beat in the Class M State Tournament—Plainville and Bullard Havens Tech—had a combined mark of 27-12 entering Class M State Tournament play.

• HK played in a trio of five-set matches this season by defeating Cromwell on Oct. 2 and Morgan on Oct. 26, while also losing to Cromwell to open the year. The Cougars additionally swept five matches in 2015.