By Christopher Tremblay

In the past, it was rather black and white if you got into the Sectional Tournaments. If you happened to win at least 50% of your games, you were in, but beginning this year things have gotten a little more confusing. In order to extend your season, teams can still advance if they finish with a .500 record or better during the regular season, or they can also qualify if they finish among the top 32 teams in their division based on the new power ranking system. The power rankings revolve around a team’s strength of schedule and margin of victory. 

The Norwood girls’ volleyball team, which plays in the Tri-Valley League, one of the tougher leagues in the state, finished with a 5-15 record. However, playing in the TVL they square off against some quality competition giving them a top-notch strength of schedule. Of the Mustangs 15 losses, the team was able to win at least one match in eight of those contests.

Although it wasn’t one of Norwood’s better seasons record wise, Coach Paul Nimblett believes he had himself one of his better teams in some time. The Mustangs possessed great senior leadership this fall and their younger athletes played some significant roles in what should help the future of the program.

Leading the charge onto the court were senior tri-captains Liz Hinkson, Kimmy Hanoian and Kati Melen. All three athletes have been on the varsity squad for three years, including the unique Covid campaign last season. At the time of this writing, Hinkson, an outside hitter, was one of the team’s top point scorers with 68 kills and was a top server with 30 aces. Hanoian, a right side or outside hitter, notched 44 kills and 34 aces while being moved around the court. As a left-handed hitter, it made it tough for the opposition to pick up her hits. Melen was a middle hitter who posted 83 kills and was the top blocker on the team with 14.

“The three of them definitely kept us in the matches,” the Norwood Coach said. “We needed them to get us those points as well as their providing leadership to the rest of the team.”

With Covid, the volleyball team was one of many fall sports that were shifted to a Fall II season in February. Having the season being played five months later than normal, the turnaround from last year to this season was relatively fast. Norwood ended the Fall II season on a two-game winning streak and Nimblett was hoping that it would carry over.

“The team was raring to go this year and we knew that we had a good senior leadership group that could teach the underclassmen,” Nimblett said. “We also knew that with the new format and because of our strength of schedule that we should be right in the fight for a tournament berth.

Not having the long wait from one season to the next, a lot of the girls decided to dedicate their summer to getting better for the upcoming season. Although they were ready to go, Norwood didn’t start the season off on the right foot. The Mustangs opened the 2021 campaign with seven straight losses before putting together a four-game winning streak and a tough fought 3-2 loss to Norton.

“We didn’t play the way that I had hoped to open the season, but we eventually got things going and put together a four-game winning streak,” the Norwood Coach said. “We started to play real good volleyball, including two 3-2 matches with Norton (one win and one loss). I was hoping that we’d keep trending upward while being competitive. This was definitely a different team from the beginning of the season.”

In addition to the senior tri-captains Norwood middle hitter Shannon Brady playing opposite of Melen was having herself a complete season. The junior had 30 kills and 15 block shots and made up a front line tandem with Melen for the Mustangs. Nimblett was excited to see what the junior was doing as she progressed through the season.

Two other juniors having good seasons were Sam Rose and Kati Mills. Rose, the team’s first-year varsity libero, stepped right into the position and excepted her role compiling 140 digs thus far, while allowing the coach to move her around on the court with success no matter where she played. Mills began the season setting but as the season progressed, she turned the corner as a hitter (right side opposite). Her hitting ability allowed the Mustangs to have a balanced attack giving Nimblett two 6-foot girls and two others with good agility and jumping skills. The team currently has 40 blocks so far, averaging 4 per match.

Another outside hitter who fills in when Hinkson is not on the floor is junior Brie Fitzgerald. The junior allows Nimblett to move her around and give the other girls a break here and there.

While having talented hitters up front, the Norwood Coach was also fortunate with two girls who could play the setter position with skill. Freshman Colleen Brady and sophomore Molly Federico both have played an exceptional role for the Mustangs this fall and should continue to do so in the future.

“Colleen came in as a surprise,” Nimblett said. “She had a great tryout and I had to take her onto the varsity squad with what she showed me. Molly had moved up from the junior varsity team and brought with her a new energy to the team. She is very competitive and the two will have a great future with us.”

Rounding out the seniors on the squad are defensive specialist Mary Kate Kenny, opposite hitter and utility player Lexi Martinez and Maggie Federico. Being a versatile individual on the court, Federico has done whatever is needed of her this season while bringing an energy that picks the team up every time she steps onto the court.

When the rankings were computed, Norwood found themselves at 33, unfortunately finishing one spot out of Tournament contention. Although the Mustangs were edged out on the final day of the regular season, Nimblett saw that his team improved a lot from opening day and is very excited about looking toward next season.