Masuk Boys Volleyball Punches Ticket to Class M Seminfinals

Despite an underwhelming start and Head Coach Megan Miller’s assessment that “it wasn’t one of our best games,” the Masuk Panthers won all three sets against visiting Daniel Hand High on Thursday afternoon in Monroe to solidify a semifinal spot in the Class M state volleyball tournament.

The final scores from David Strong Gymnasium were 25-21, 25-16 and 25-17.  Masuk will await the winner of tomorrow’s match-up between Newington and Oxford.

“We knew we had to get a win today in order to advance,” Miller said. “They (Masuk) knew what they had to do and that’s the important part.”

The game started out anything but certain for the home team. Hand reeled off the first three points of the frame, and hung with the taller Panther squad all the way to the end. At one point, the visitors had an 11-5 lead and the serve, while Masuk made a series of mental mistakes opening the door for trouble. However, they battled back to take an 18-17 lead and never looked back.

Dominant play at the net by senior Connor Ryan (11 kills, 7 service points) and junior Nick Davies proved to be too much for Hand to deal with. Still, the 25-21 score put the Panthers on alert that their opponents were willing to scrap.

Coach Miller knew that this win wouldn’t be an easy one. “We actually did the opposite of what we usually do. We usually come out really strong in the first game, and then back off a little in the second game. Today was the opposite ... we started off really slow and then picked it up.”

Carrying the momentum into the second set, Masuk took an early 9-3 lead.  However, the Tigers came roaring back, cutting the lead down to 12-10 and forcing the Panthers to call a timeout. Whatever was talked about in the huddle worked as Masuk’s big presence proved to be a handful for the visitors as Ryan, Davies and senior Owen Burton (4 kills in the second) seemed to spike the ball at will. The Panthers cruised to a second set victory, 25-16.

The third set was just more of the same, as Masuk dominated its opponent from the outset. A service ace by junior Christopher Stevison (3 aces) seemed to drive the dagger through Hand High, giving the home team a 16-9 advantage.

The game’s best rally occurred deep into the third, as a steady back-and-forth between the teams ended with a magnificent dig by Masuk senior Collin Neaton — the team leader this season in assists, service points and aces — followed up quickly by a Neaton assist to Davies for the kill. Just moments later, a huge kill by Burton officially put the game away for good.

When the dust settled, the Masuk Panthers won the set 25-17 and the game 3-0, and it now has a date with the Newington/Oxford winner this Tuesday, June 7.

Miller wants to make sure that her squad is ready to battle and play a nice, even game in the semifinals. She said, “I think it’s only a matter of being mentally prepared for every single game, the entire match.”

CIAC Class M Seminfinals

Masuk vs. Newington/Oxford

Tuesday, June 7

Time and Location TBA