The West Haven volleyball team is off to a slow start this season, dropping five consecutive matches and falling to 1-7.
The Westies fell to 1-4 with a hard-fought 3-2 loss against Hand-Madison at West Haven High. The second straight loss for the Westies came by scores of 25-17, 14-25, 16-25, 25-22, 12-15.
Senior Savannah Lopez led the team with 18 assists, six aces, and four kills on offense, while adding five digs on defense. Neve Krajcir played well with nine kills, four aces, and three digs, Tanasia Fidalgo had five kills and three blocks. Mckayla Fowler added five kills and four aces, and Dulcemaria Castillo, Lexi Prion and Anaelecea Turcio each added three digs. Asia Ford finished with three aces and three kills.
The West Haven girls volleyball team fell to 1-5 with its third straight loss, a 3-1 decision at Lauralton Hall Thursday evening. The Westies fell by scores of 21-25, 19-25, 25-23, 18-25.
Lopez ran the offense with 26 assists, with three aces and two kills. Krajcir finished with 14 digs, nine kills, and four aces, Fowler had eight kills and four aces, Fidalgo added seven kills, Ford had five kills, and Prion had four digs in the loss.
West Haven dropped its fourth straight match and fell to 1-6 on the year with a 3-0 loss against Hamden Monday evening. The Westies fell 22-25, 18-25, 17-25 at West Haven High.
While the Westies battled, it was not enough in each game. Krajcir played well for the Westies defensively with 16 digs, while adding three aces and three kills offensively. Lopez had seven assists and five digs, Ford had four aces and four kills, Fowler added four kills, and Prion had three digs in the loss.
West Haven lost its fifth consecutive match, dropping a 3-0 decision at East Haven Thursday evening. With the 12-25, 21-25, 15-25 loss, West Haven fell to 1-7 on the year.
Lopez led the Westies with nine digs and six assists. Anh Nguyen had six digs, Prion had five digs, Ford had four kills, and Castillo added three digs.
Through four games, there has been one constant for the West Haven girls soccer team. That constant has started with its defense.
The Westies entered Tuesday evening’s game having not allowed a goal in their previous three victories. That trend continued as a stifling defense coupled with solid goalkeeping helped lead West Haven to a 3-0 victory over Jonathan Law in a Southern Connecticut Conference Division C contest at Ken Strong Stadium.
West Haven has now outscored its opponents 14-0 in improving to 4-0 on the year. Law fell to 1-3 with its second consecutive defeat.
Aside from a 10 minute stretch to close the first half, the West Haven defense did not allow much for Law to contend with on the offensive side. Playing within it structure, West Haven forced Law to the outside and did not allow much in the middle of the field.
After finishing the opening half with eight shots, Law managed just two shots in the second half, both turned aside by West Haven sophomore goalkeeper Kassidy Carrano. The best chance for Law to get on the scoreboard came off a scramble in front, off the foot of Elly Van Waveren with 20 minutes, 30 seconds remaining and Law down one goal.
After a scoreless first half, West Haven junior Cori Severino set the tone of the second half when she nearly found the back of the net with a blast just 27 seconds in. A header by Selena Izzo sailed over the net 5:40 in, before West Haven finally capitalized with a tally 11:14 in.
Off a free ball, senior Kaylie Hollister lofted a shot from 40 yards which took a high bounce off the turf and just went over the outstretched arms of Law goalkeeper Sabrina Lawless for the only goal West Haven would need.
With the team defense of the Westies keeping Law from getting quality scoring opportunities, West Haven extended the margin to a pair of goals with 5:58 remaining in the game. Another loose ball was converted as junior Madison Lentine ripped a shot in from 20 yards out.
Cori Severino, who was a thorn in Law’s side all night, capped the scoring when she broke in and scored from 15 yards out with 16.6 seconds to go.
After being outshot early in the contest, Law controlled the latter part of the opening half, getting quality scoring opportunities on West Haven goalkeeper Mackenzie Gardner.
The West Haven keeper was up to the challenge as she denied shots by Midori Hughes, Andriana Bruno and Ashley Shaw, and saw a shot by Shelby Green bounce off the cross bar minutes earlier.
Gardner (6 saves) and Carrano (3 saves) combined in the shutout for West Haven. Lawless made seven saves in the loss for Law.
The streaks continue. With Saturday afternoon’s 2-0 victory over Foran at Ken Strong Stadium in West Haven, West Haven improved to 5-0 on the year.
Just as impressive, the Westies again pitched another shutout and have not allowed a goal all season. West Haven has outscored its opponents 16-0 on the year.
Gardner and Carrano combined on the shutout with Gardner making a pair of saves in the first half and Carrano making five saves in the second half.
After a scoreless first half, West Haven scored both goals early in second half.
The Westies took a 1-0 lead 38 seconds into the second half when Izzo scored off an assist from Emma Walker. The lead increased to 2-0 1:48 into the second half when Amanda Tsakonas scored an unassisted goal from 30 yards out.
With the way the defense and goalkeeping have been playing, the two goals were more than enough for the Westies.
West Haven saw a pair of streaks come to an end Tuesday evening. With a 3-1 loss at Shelton, the Westies saw their unbeaten streak to open the season end at five games, while West Haven also allowed the first goals to be scored on the team after having not allowed a goal in five contests to start the season.
Shelton made sure both streaks would come to an end as the Gaels came out with a purpose and scored two minutes into the game off a tally by Lindsay Taylor. Noelle Garretson assisted on the goal, then provided the final two goals for the Gaels.
Garretson scored off an assist from Taylor at the 16 minute mark for a 2-0 lead, before Julia Tsakonas scored the lone West Haven goal in the second half at 61:05.
With everyone pushed up for the Westies, Garretson scored her second of the contest with 30 seconds remaining.
The West Haven boys soccer team fell to 1-1-1 with a 2-1 loss at Jonathan Law in Milford Tuesday afternoon.
Despite the fact the Westies held a 22-15 advantage in shots, West Haven could only manage a goal by Aldo Barragan at the 11:03 mark of the first half. Law answered with goals by Lex Edwards (18:50) and Fillipe Mourao (24:28) to take a 2-1 lead it never relinquished.
Brian Carew finished with 11 saves in the loss for West Haven.
West Haven improved to 2-1-1 with a 6-1 victory over Platt Tech in West Haven Wednesday afternoon.
Barragan led the way for West Haven with four goals and an assist, while junior Brian Rivadera and junior Donaldo Yanez each scored once. Sebastian Novoa each Mubarak Issa each had assists in the win.
West Haven held a 25-7 shot advantage in the contest. John McLaughlin finished with six saves in the win.
The Westies scored early and often in the contest as Barragan scored 8 minutes, 12 seconds into the game and Rivadera followed 3:14 later. West Haven added three more goals to take a 5-0 lead to the half.
Barragan scored at 27:04 and followed 9:24 later with his third tally of the game, before Yanez scored 1:08 later for a 5-0 West Haven lead.
Barragan scored West Haven’s lone goal of the second half 11:52 in.
West Haven traveled to Milford Monday afternoon and came away with a 1-1 draw against Foran. With the decision, West Haven moved to 2-1-2 on the year.
The Westies held a 10-6 shot advantage in the contest, but could only manage one goal as Novoa had the lone West Haven tally in the contest. Brian Carew finished with four saves for West Haven.
West Haven improved to 3-1-2 with a resounding 7-2 victory over Amity Friday evening at Ken Strong Stadium in West Haven.
Barragan led the Westies with three goals, Novoa scored twice, and Derick Meza and Yanez each scored once. McLaughlin made seven saves in the victory for the Westies.
The Westies led 4-0 at the half and never looked back. Meza got things going for West Haven 3:06 into the contest, Barragan scored the first of his three goals 9:08 later, and Novoa scored 3:36 later for a 3-0 advantage. When Barragan scored with 7:55 remaining in the first half, West Haven led 4-0.
Leading 4-1, Barragan scored his third goal at the 59:36 mark, and Novoa added his second at 65:05. Yanez capped the scoring at the 77:16 mark.
The West Haven girls swim team fell to East Haven/Wilbur Cross, 83-82, Tuesday afternoon at West Haven High.
West Haven won the 200 medley relay in 2 minutes, 5.46 seconds with a team of Madison Hobart, Molly Wilson, Kaelyn Falanga, and Victoria Acuna. Hobart also won the 100 free in 1:02.07, while the 1 meter diving was won by Kaylee Taulty with 167 points.
West Haven fell to Lyman Hall 98-78 Friday afternoon at West Haven High. The Westies had one first place finish in Hobart in the 50 freestyle, and eight second place finishes.
The team of Hobart, Wilson, Falanga, and Acuna was second in the 200 medley relay, while the team of Khando Dorjee, Taulty, Elyze Ancheta, and Cassidy Dalton were second in the 400 freestyle relay.
Falanga also placed second in the 200 IM and 100 fly, Wilson was second in the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke, Taulty placed second in the 1 M diving, and the team of 200 FR Raquel Camey, Lauren Blake, Dorjee, and Alana Orecchio was second in the 200 free relay.
The West Haven boys cross-country team ran at Shelton last Wednesday, losing to Shelton and Amity by the scores of 15-50. The top runners for West Haven were junior Justin Rodriguez in 19 minutes, 34 seconds, junior Alex Potter in 19:47, and senior Allen Aldrich in 20:10.
The West Haven girls cross-country team did not run against Shelton, but the girls ran at Amity on Thursday, falling 15-30. The top runners for West Haven were sophomore Amanda Gullo in 25:33, senior Kenedi Merola in 26:10, and sophomore Maryangel Cruz in 28 :30.
West Haven’s Amanda Gullo has seen her time improve by four minutes in three weeks.
The West Haven boys team ran at Milford on Wednesday. The boys fell to Notre Dame-West Haven, 15-50, and West Haven topped Hillhouse, 15-50.
The top runners for the Westies were Rodriguez in 19 minutes, 24 seconds, Aldrich in 19:38, and senior Ray Pagan in 19:39.
The girls lost to both Lauralton Hall and Hillhouse by identical 15-50 scores. The top runners for the girls were Merola in 25:42, Gullo in 26:52 and Cruz in 28:10.
For all your West Haven sporting news throughout the year, including game articles by Mike Madera, highlights, photos and more, visit www.westieblue.com.