Rocky Hill Edges Out Tolland Volleyball for the Win

Rocky Hill High School volleyball managed to push Tolland High out of the state Class M tournament after an action-packed game Monday night to advance to the semifinals. 

The evenly matched teams duked it out for a full five sets at Tolland High School (25-18, 23-25, 25-23, 21-25, 16-14) with winning sets alternating from team to team during the tense game.

Rocky Hill (16-4) had a promising first set (25-18) that showed off the team's offense power. Senior Kyley Reed led throughout the game with an impressive 42 kills and 35 digs.

During the game, Reed went over the 1,400 mark in kills for her career. Rocky Hill head coach George McKinnon called it "an awesome accomplishment."

Tolland head coach Ken Brown said that Tolland (15-5) has been preparing to meet Rocky Hill's strong offense with a flexible and dynamic team that could unsettle the game's flow and tip the balance.

"We knew where they were going," Brown said. The teams are very familiar with each other's playing styles; Tolland won both games against Rocky Hill earlier in the season.

Tolland staged the first of many comebacks to take the second set, demonstrating the team's flexibility and skill at working together. Tolland's Kelsey Lewis was great offensively and defensively with 10 aces, nine kills and 10 digs, joined by teammates Taylor Hammeke with five kills and four blocks and Delaney Kirk with 10 assists, just to name a few.

Rocky Hill powered through to take the third set, pulling ahead after Tolland tied the set up at 15-15 with Lewis on a serving streak. Tolland claimed the fourth set to tie up the game.

The fifth set bounced between the teams almost point for point, with ties at 5-5, 6-6, 9-9 and 10-10 and even 14-14. Rocky Hill, however, was able to push through one more great offensive wave to clinch the game, winning the set 16-14.

McKinnon credited the team's focus on defense for the crucial win.

"We've been working a lot harder on our defense," he said. "Tonight, girls were in the right spots at the right time."

The team's setter Julie Stoneburner had 43 assists, which put her over the 500 mark for the season. She also had five digs.

Megan Ruonavaara added 10 kills and 25 digs. She was a perfect 21-21 from the service line with 13 points.

Krista Iacobucci was 18-20 from the service line with 12 points. She added 15 digs.

Rocky Hill has advanced to the Class M semifinals against Sheehan High School on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Plainville High School. Monday night's neck-to-neck game won't soon be forgotten.

"It's turned into a great rivalry," McKinnon said.