By Ella Franzman – Sports Editor

The Jonathan Law volleyball team ended its regular season on October 26 with a 10-10 record. 

The team qualified for the SCC Tournament as the 12th seed and defeated 5th seeded Lauralton in the first round. The Lawmen are now preparing to head into the second round of the Class L State Tournament on Thursday, November 10. 

“We have been working extra hard on all of our weaknesses as a team along with a lot of defensive work,” senior captain Paige Jolley said. 

The team played in the first round of the state tournament, and was able to get the win over Waterbury Career Academy(WCA). 

“The team is excited. They want the W’s,” head coach Ms. Loch said. “They are working harder in practice and discuss the other team’s game play, positioning on the court and help each other out.”

Since the team graduated a lot of impactful seniors, they have had to fill many positions with underclassmen. 

“Our team’s attitude has been really positive going into the postseason,” junior captain Ashley Borecki said. “We are all very competitive and have that drive to win.”

The three captains – Borecki, Jolley and Nicolina Salanto – have all been a huge help to this team’s energy, they have been able to help shape their team and guide their team to these wins. 

“I think the team’s attitude has been very much in the mindset of us wanting to prove something to everyone because our record doesn’t show our capabilities,” Salanto said. “We all want to make it as far as we can and especially me and Paige since this is our last season.” 

Jolley and Salanto both played volleyball all four years of high school and both played full varsity for two years.

“I think the girls are more intense and aggressive on the court toward the end of the season since they are more trusting of each other’s game play,” Loch said. “They start to “mesh” as a team a little more and play better together.” 

Salanto has kept a very specific game day routine this year. After school, she leaves 45 minutes before the team needs to be at the gym to go to Walgreens to get a Peach Mango Bang. She then goes to school and parks in the same spot and waits 40 minutes until they have to be in the gym because of how excited she is.

Salanto then said every game day she has co-captain Borecki do her hair even if it’s as simple as a braid. 

Loch said she has he own routines before each match.

“I always have to write out my lineup visually in court positions and always high-five Paige before she goes on the court for each set,” Loch said.

Jolley made All-SCC Second Team this year. She also broke a school record for the amount of digs in one game with 52 against Lauralton.