New Canaan and Barlow Clinch Victory, Head to CIAC Class M Boys Volleyball Championship

NAUGATUCK — Every set seemed to be dotted, every swing a smart bomb destined for the floor.

And you just knew it was going to go five games.

The only real uncertainty surrounding Tuesday's Class M boys volleyball semifinal between New Canaan and Masuk was who would prevail where no one deserved to lose.

The answer came in the rally game. New Canaan put down a couple of touch kills to snap a 9-9 tie and went on to a 15-10 decision that completed a 3-2 victory at Naugatuck High School.

New Canaan dropped the opening game 25-23, won by the same count in Game 2, then took the pivotal third game, 27-25, after warding off two set points. Masuk forced the fifth game with a 25-19 decision in the fourth.

The No. 2-seeded Rams, now 20-3, advance to Friday's Class M final at Newtown High School to face No. 1 Barlow (20-5), which got past No. 4 Newington 3-1 in Tuesday's second semifinal in Naugatuck by game scores of 25-19, 23-25, 25-22 and 25-22.

It will be only the second state finals appearance for New Canaan, which lost to Barlow in the 2022 Class M final. Barlow, 2-3 all-time in state finals, also went all the way in 2021.

"I'm really happy," said New Canaan junior outside hitter Nolan McLaughlin, who hammered down 24 kills against Masuk. "Obviously, we're celebrating out there, but we've still got more to work on. I feel great going into this; we've got a lot of great players and I think we're going to put up a great fight."

Masuk saw its season end at 19-6. The second-seeded Panthers were looking to recapture the crowns they wore in 2023 and 2009.

"Definitely mixed (emotions)," Masuk senior setter Nate Kurkoski said. "I'm disappointed we didn't win. We were right there. It stinks, but it's one hell of a game to go out on."

Tuesday's opener was a matchup of conference champs. New Canaan, a program that dates back only to 2011, took its first flag in the FCIAC, while Masuk dethroned Barlow in the SWC.

It was also a matchup of potent outside hitters who get up high and drive nails into the hardwood, McLaughlin for New Canaan and Daniel Ferris for Masuk.

Fed by their sure-handed setters, Dylan Ho for New Canaan and Kurkoski, the big guns sounded.

New Canaan ultimately had the edge with a deeper arsenal. Akavaramu had 14 kills and Zane Tickoo (6), Donovan West (5) and Stephen Brown (5) also proved viable options on the attack.

"We're really a complete team," said the setter Ho, who racked up 48 assists. "We have hitters at every position. Everyone can get a kill, everyone's part of the game, and that's what makes us so good. We play as such a unit. I can set anywhere and trust that my teammates will get a kill."

Pivotal plays came in Game 3. After watching Masuk reverse an early five-point deficit with a 13-3 run, New Canaan stemmed the bleeding behind McLaughlin and Akavaramu, and later defended when Masuk had two chances to put the game away.

A pair of hitting errors by Masuk eventually swung the set New Canaan's way.

"The big thing for us is we're trying very hard to be a mentally strong team," said NC head coach Amy Warren. "We have a lot of skill, but they needed to be mentally stronger. That's when (assistant) coach Silvanna (Cardona) and I pushed on our end to make sure we could do for them, and they have done it."

"Our coaches have worked a lot, especially on our mental game, and that really came through today," Akavaramu agreed. "I think we really outlasted them."

Tuesday's nightcap also seemed destined for five games before Barlow went on a 9-2 run to erase a 17-11 deficit in Game 4.

Newington (18-6), fueled by senior outside hitters Nathan Parlapiano and Sengsouly Singkhamlon, went toe to toe with the higher seed down the homestretch as it had all night, but Barlow's senior southpaws, Mark Meschi and Erik Schmid, made sure matters wouldn't hinge on a rally game. Schmid made a key block before Meschi applied the final kill.

"I always wanted this," Schmid said of Friday's trip to the finals. "I've played for four years on this team, three on varsity, never had a state championship. I'm real excited to be going to the state final. I played my heart out tonight; I really wanted it."

Players of the games

Nolan McLaughlin, New Canaan — The junior hitter was one weapon in a New Canaan arsenal, but he was the go-to guy, putting down 24 kills.

Eric Schmid, Barlow — Coach Kevin Marino termed it "thunder blocking" in describing the work of his senior middle hitter. Schmid's net play was crucial in negating the savvy swings of Newington hitters Nate Parlapiano and Sengsouly Singkhamlon.

Quotables

"We really dug deep when we were down and came through on those special close points." — New Canaan senior outside hitter Saivinish Akavaramu.

"Down, what, seven in that (fourth) set? I called time out and kind of looked at them and said, 'It's go-time, otherwise we've got to go five, and we don't want to do that.'" — Barlow coach Kevin Marino.

CIAC CLASS M VOLLEYBALL SEMIFINALS

New Canaan 3, Masuk 2

NEW CANAAN  23 25 27 19 15 — 3

MASUK                25 23 25 25 10 — 2

Records: New Canaan 20-3; Masuk 19-6

Barlow 3, Newington 1

BARLOW       25 23 25 25 — 3

NEWINGTON  19 25 22 2 — 1

Records: Joel Barlow 20-5; Newington 18-6.