New-look Assabet Valley Aztecs look to contend
By Ken Powers Contributing Writer

Marlborough - The start of the volleyball season has been a pleasant surprise for Assabet Valley coach Joe Cicero, whose team has gotten off to a 4-2 start despite having lost five players who saw significant playing time last season.

"The season, so far, has really been better than I thought it was going to be," Cicero said. "I felt like we were a team in transition when the year began because we had lost so much. But the girls worked really hard over the summer and in the preseason, and it shows."

Graduated from last year's team were Daiane Chaves, Danielle Boisvert, Jesslyn Sawvelle and Sara Milliken. In addition, Ana Faria, who would have been a junior this season, transferred out of the school. Chaves, Milliken and Faria were setters, Boisvert was a hitter and Sawvelle a defensive specialist.

Key returnees on the team are senior Levi Lopes, a setter who is one of two boys on the team because Assabet does not off er volleyball as a sport for boys, and classmate Felecia Francolini.

"Both are setters; both are doing a terrific job," Cicero said. "They both played last year but they have had to take on a bigger role this year because of all the changes in personnel we've had."

Junior Jordan Downey is an outside hitter, while classmate Neil Kouyoumjian - the other boy on the team - plays on the back row as a defensive specialist.

The Aztecs' reputation as a team that can really put the ball away because of its ability to spike, is a reputation forged by the play of senior hitters Marcia McCoy and Lauren Tracy.

In a win over Nashoba Tech, McCoy had 15 service points and recorded four blocks, four kills and five aces. In a victory over South Lancaster Academy, she contributed four blocks, three kills and three aces.

"Marcia is having a great season," Cicero said. "She's really worked herself into being quite a complete allaround volleyball player. She serves well; she's a great hitter and blocker and setter, too. She knows the game and is really coming into her own."

Other players who will see time in Cicero's game rotation include junior Emily Colgate, and sophomores Brittany Scensny, Evelyn Lopes and Kaitlynn Campbell.

"Evelyn is Levi's younger sister and she has really picked up the game quickly and is playing well," Cicero said. "She had 13 service points in a game earlier this year - she has a beautiful serve, but she also is very aggressive and goes after blocks and kills, too."

Last year the Aztecs were 16-2 and bowed out of both the State Vocational Schools Tournament and the Central Mass. Division 2 Tournament in the first round.

"They're really coming into their own," Cicero said. "They have meshed together nicely and are really playing well."

Cicero said he believes the competition in the league will come from Blackstone Valley Tech.

"They're always a strong, strong team," Cicero said. "Our two losses last year were to them."