Top 10 Connecticut high school volleyball teams to watch in 2015

Video: MaxPreps 2015 Preseason Volleyball All-Americans
Darien's Isabelle Taylor is among the country's finest.

Connecticut's high school volleyball season is underway, and that is giving fans the chance to see which teams can keep their momentum from last season going. Records are current as of Thursday.

Bristol Eastern
The 4-0 Lancers were tested for the first time on Thursday when they played unbeaten Glastonbury. Eastern passed with a five-game win. Seniors Angela Daley (outside hitter), Megan Gettings (outside hitter) and libero Bailey Wyrebek captain a team that advanced to last season's Class L semifinals before losing to eventual winner Farmington. The program has been a constant in the Class L tournament, as Bristol Eastern has played in four state finals since 2005 and won three, the last in 2012.

Darien
The Blue Wave (2-0) have been one of the state's most dominant programs in any sport over three decades. They've won 17 state titles in 22 seasons, including last year's Class LL title. They're also near automatic in state finals, as they've lost just once (to East Lyme in 2010). If that isn't enough, Darien has the reigning Gatorade Connecticut Volleyball Player of the Year and MaxPreps preseason All-American — senior outside hitter Isabelle Taylor. Classmate Anna Barsanti provides experience at the net and passes well. Junior outside hitters Kitty Crosby and Sami Huff have taken on bigger roles, and sophomore Callie Fay has done well early as the Blue Wave's new setter.



Farmington
The 4-0 Indians won the program's first state title in 35 years last season and did so in gutty fashion — they rallied from a 2-0 game deficit to beat RHAM in the Class L final, one year after losing the final to the latter. Farmington has experience up front with seniors Laura Roman and Cheray Saunders, and junior outside hitter Caroline Cullen has been one of the team's best at receiving serve. Juniors Danielle Gan and Ali Troup have split setting duties. The Indians will play two of their toughest matches in three days next week — at Southington (Wednesday) and home against RHAM (Friday).

Fitch (Groton)
The season is just two weeks old and already the 8-0 Falcons have ripped through almost half of their schedule. They're not blessed with height, but they make up for it with athleticism and smarts. Senior setter Mae Sefransky was a second-team all-state pick last year. Senior outside hitter Jennifer Severino isn't the tallest around (5-foot-9), but she leaps as high as players taller than her. Senior hitters MacKenzie Aldridge, Alannah Bunkley and Caroline Taber add depth at the net, and classmate Giulia Parker is invaluable in the back row.

Glastonbury
The 4-1 Tomahawks may not have made this list if it was written prior to this week, as they finished 15-9 last season and had a new coach. They earned instant respect after sweeping Southington on Monday. Glastonbury returned several senior starters this year, among them all-Central Connecticut Conference North Division honorees Ally Kos (setter) and Cam Hendricks (outside hitter).

Granby Memorial
The 5-0 Bears were the state's best surprise in the sport last season, as they won the Class M title in the program's sixth season. Let's see what they do for an encore. Senior outside hitter Brianna Hoyt has stepped up after the graduation of Granby's top three hitters. The team has also benefited from a transfer … from Holland. Marieke Van der mark, a 6-3 junior, has led the team in kills.

RHAM (Hebron)
The program is in just its 14th season, but has built itself into one of the state's best at 5-0 this year. The Sachems have won five state titles the previous eight years — only Coventry won more during that stretch. All-state senior setter Mckenzie Maneggia returns and is setting a new crew of hitters — junior Sydney Masna and sophomores Anna Barry, Alana Hruska and Katie Shea. RHAM may be young, but history says it'll be a pain come conference and state tournament play.

Ridgefield
No one took a game from Darien last fall until Ridgefield did in the Class LL quarterfinals. The Tigers still lost in four games, but they proved they were better than their 15-7 record showed. The bulk of that team is back and 3-0, including senior setter Ally Livingston, senior middles Kathryn Jordan (the team's top hitter last year) and Sydney Carroll and junior outside hitter Elizabeth Middlebrook. Ridgefield sees Darien again at home on Oct. 9.



Southington
Yes, another Central Connecticut Conference team (it's a really good large-school volleyball league). The Blue Knights (4-1) return a strong nucleus from last season's Class LL quarterfinalist. Senior Sylwia Lewkowicz is strong in the middle and joined by classmate Kelsea Allen. Senior Michelle Stublarec and junior Morgan Raymond are swinging from the outside. Senior Samantha Lohneiss and sophomore Stephanie Zera have been doing the setting. Southington gets another crack at Glastonbury next month (Oct. 7) and ends the regular season with RHAM in what will be a good tune-up for both the conference and state tourneys.

Waterford
The Lancers (6-1) had their best season in program history last year, as they advanced to the Class M semifinals. Most of that team is back and makes them a contender in both the Eastern Connecticut Conference and Class M. Senior Vanessa Kobyluck can both hit and set. Classmates Haley Taylor and Opal Willox are strong at the net, and fellow senior Jillian Sykora gets the offense going at libero. The Lancers' lone defeat was to Fitch in a match it led 1-0 and 2-1. They play the Falcons again on the road on Oct. 7.