Printer Friendly Version - Branford Volleyball Getting Ready for Playoffs With Young Core

The Hornets' volleyball squad has banded together as a close and cohesive group to the tune of a mark of 11-6, and is ready to embark on another journey in the SCC and Class M State Tournaments. Photo courtesy of Mike Martone

The Branford volleyball team has had plenty of celebratory moments after points this fall in a season full of many highs. Photo courtesy of Mike Martone

Arguably one of the more upstart programs within the ranks of the Southern Connecticut Conference on the volleyball circuit has resided within Branford, and the Hornets have earned that distinction on the backs of not only hard work and dedication for personal growth, but also by testing their mettle against the best the state has to offer.

In 2022, Branford compiled a 10-9 regular season record to earn a spot in the Class M State Tournament as the No. 25 seed, where the Hornets saw a 3-0 defeat to No. 8 Granby Memorial in the opening round. Branford additionally made the SCC Tournament quarterfinals to finish a dead even 11-11 for the campaign.

Branford currently sits with a 11-6 record as the regular season winds down to its final days. Head Coach Mike Martone and the Hornets have seen great triumphs and prominence in his stead, and it will be much of the same moving forward as long as the girls stick to bettering themselves on an individual basis to forge the foundation for squad successes.

“Our team goals tend to be consistent from year to year. [Assistant coach] Ellery Riccio and I expect our team to work hard and learn how to play the game correctly,” said Martone. “We want them to stay physically, emotionally, and mentally invested in the game. We expect they spend the season working on their overall fitness, and play as much volleyball as possible. The more time they spend on these factors, the better our chances of a successful season become. We have a team first mentality, and never make one player bigger than the team outcome. This mindset has brought us to .500 or better seasons since we took over the team three years ago.”

This fall, the Hornets are headed off by captains in senior Tatum Spinato, Jenna DeFrancesco, and Madigan Lawler. No matter what their solo roles on the floor are, on any given day, the one constant is their dedication towards being the best athletes and leaders they can be while uplifting the spirit and morale of their peers.

“Tatum is a strong leader, she holds her teammates accountable and emphasizes a team mentality,” said Martone. “Jenna is dominant on the floor, she leads by example, and with a dominant game-play mindset. Jenna truly exemplifies what hard-work and dedication to the sport can achieve. Madigan is the voice of the team; she is always prepared and takes time to dissect opponents and share their strengths and weaknesses with our squad. She is a smart and crafty player on the court, always getting us points when we need them the most.”

Some of Branford’s other underclassmen players are libero Riley O’Brien, sophomore and setter Julianne Henkel, and middle hitter and classmate of Henkel with Lea Sekerovic.

“Riley is one of the most intelligent players on the floor. She is never afraid to sacrifice her body to make a play,” said Martone. “Julianne Henkel is taking on a huge role, and doing so excellently with hard work and dedication to the craft. Lea Sekerovic is 6-foot-2 and harnesses her height and power regularly to put defenses on their heels. Lea is putting together a very strong season this year.”

While being in the competitive meat grinder that is the SCC, the Hornets do not take the excuse route, but rather they utilize it to pave the road towards being a well-rounded and seasoned group for state playoff play against some of the top-tier programs in Connecticut.

“We have had to play several games against schools in Class LL, such as Amity, Wilton, and Shelton,” said Martone. “While we have not come up on the winning end of all of those matchups, they are integral in putting us in a position to play at our absolute best in the postseason. We are a very young team comparatively, and also have a much smaller body of students to field a team from. Considering all of these factors, we still have been highly competitive against these larger schools.”

The Hornets certainly aim to make their mark heading into the postseason battles, though regardless of how far they go or how many sets they claim the rest of the way, monumental steps have been taken in the right direction towards being one of the schools staying in the mix come mid-November.

“I anticipate the rest of the season will be successful. I am so proud of the work the team has put in this offseason and through the start of this season,” said Martone. “They have shown to be gritty and willing to outwork their opponents on a regular basis. No matter what the outcome of the playoffs may be, I definitely consider this year another huge step forward for Branford volleyball. I could not be more proud of the captains and the rest of the team for that.”

Martone is in his third year at the helm for the Hornets, while assistant coach Ellery Riccio is also in her third campaign.

The 2023 Branford volleyball team roster is comprised of seniors Epifany Meeks, Tatum Spinato, Jenna DeFrancesco, Madigan Lawler; juniors of Sailor Plourde, Julia Burton, Riley O’Brien, Madison McClain, Olivia May, Gabrielle Perez, Sophie Santos; sophomores Sophia Tamsin, Stella Andresen, Julianne Henkel, Erin Murphy, Ayla Omeragic, Lea Sekerovic, Aziley Crespo-Morris; plus freshmen Elizabeth Harmon, Tatum Lipka, Mikenna Leigh, Serenity Johnson, Juliette Cejas-Arce, Saloni Shrestha, and Halle Peterson.