Monty Tech girls volleyball team finding its stride
Monty Tech, the only girls’ high school volleyball team in the Greater Gardner area, has made great strides in the early part of the fall season, notching four victories in its opening six matches.
Monday’s convincing 3-0 win over the Worcester Tech Eagles was the third straight victory for the Bulldogs after opening the season with a win over Main South and then dropping consecutive matches to Advanced Math & Science Academy and Bay Path.
Coach Sandy Duong, now in her seventh season, praised the play of her tri-captains: sophomore setter Bailey Tetreault, senior all-around player Deanna Smith and senior middle-hitter and blocker Jayda DeCarlo.
“We have many strong players, but our three captains have made the most impact,” said Duong, who was a star defensive specialist during her own volleyball seasons at Fitchburg High.
In the recent victory over Worcester Tech in the Bulldogs’ gymnasium, DeCarlo earned three aces, seven kills and three blocks while Tetreault dished out nine assists.
Smith delivered four kills and four digs when Monty Tech edged Keefe Tech, 3-2.
The Bulldogs, after their three-match winning streak, sat in third place in the Large School Division of the Colonial Athletic League behind AMSA and Valley Tech.
Talking about the strong play of the 6-foot-2 DeCarlo, Duong said, “Jayda has improved a lot from last year, especially in her hitting, serving and jumping. She uses her height well, but even if you’re tall you still have to have good timing on your jumps. Jayda makes a lot of kills and really runs the middle for us.”
Duong praised Smith for her remarkable dedication to the team, especially her organization of conditioning practices over the summer. “Deanna really helps us build great team chemistry, and that’s why she’s our floor captain. She shifted from playing libero last year to an all-around position player this year and it’s been good for her and the team,” Duong said.
Tetreault, who was the only freshman to make the varsity team a year ago, continues to impress Duong. “Bailey is only a sophomore now, but she’s very comfortable playing with the juniors and seniors on our team,” she said. Her all-around play has been great so far.”
Interviewed before the Worcester Tech victory, the three captains agreed that the early part of the season has gone very well.
“It’s fun to play with everyone on this team because team bonding is a big thing for us. For me it’s like having a second family,” said DeCarlo, who is focusing on health occupations in her studies at Monty Tech.
Added Smith, who is enrolled in dental assisting classes, “Coach pushes us hard and that’s good. We are like a family. We’re hoping to have the kind of season we had when I was a sophomore and we went pretty far into the playoffs.”
Tetreault, who continues to improve her skills as a setter, talked about the importance of that position on the court: “It’s all about communication and talking a lot, trusting your teammates and knowing where the ball is and anticipating where the ball is going to go.” She added, “My teammates are older, but I kind of think of them as older siblings and they’ve taught me a lot.”
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Captains setting tone as Monty Tech girls volleyball collects wins
