Showing significant signs of improvement during the regular season, Sacred Heart Greenwich’s varsity volleyball team is looking forward to making its mark in the rapidly approaching postseason.

“We want to keep growing and see how well we do at FAAs and just continue to get better,” Tigers sophomore setter Julianna Luzzi said following the team’s recent home match against Greens Farms Academy.

The FAA Volleyball Tournament starts on Nov. 3rd and Sacred Heart is hoping to be in top form once the playoffs commence. The FAA is especially competitive this season, with Greenwich Country Day School sporting a sparkling 9-0 record in league play, Greenwich Academy having a record of 8-2 and Greens Farms being 6-2 in the FAA so far. Sacred Heart is 4-5 in the FAA, but has played each opponent tough, including Greens Farms, which posted a 3-1 win over the Tigers on Oct. 18.

Coached by Beth Wilson-Jordan, the Tigers rebounded from their loss against GFA by defeating Rye Country Day School on the road on Oct. 20, 3-2. SHG is playing today (Oct. 22) at Taft School, then hosts Hotchkiss School on Senior Day on Oct. 25. The FAA Tournament is scheduled to begin on Nov. 3.

Against Greens Farms Academy, Luzzi had an impressive all-around match, pacing Sacred Heart offensively and defensively. Luzzi recorded 12 assists, 11 kills, nine digs and two aces.

After winning the first set against the Tigers, the visiting Dragons won the second set, 25-14. SHG turned it around in the third set, winning 25-17. GFA closed out the match in the fourth game, taking it, 25-10.

“They have a fantastic middle, their libero is great, their outside is good,” Wilson-Jordan said of Greens Farms Academy’s squad. “They have a number of girls that are going to play next year in college. For us, we were a man down today, so we worked on strategy all week to figure out what we were going to do and I think the girls stayed up and positive. We did well, that third set was great.”

Junior co-captain Ana Pizzimbono registered six kills, three aces, two assists and one block, while sophomore Sophia Berlingo tallied 11 digs and one ace for Sacred Heart versus Greens Farms.

“I’m really proud of this team,” Pizzimbono said. “From the start of the season, I don’t think we would have played the same game as we did today. Obviously, they’re offense is a lot stronger, but I think all around we managed well with them and I think that says a lot about our team effort and our team’s consistency and energy. We were also missing another captain (senior captain Mackenna Kelly) so our team really rallied around each other.”

After dropping the second set, Sacred Heart’s best moments of the match came during the third set against GFA. Consecutive kills by Luzzi gave the Tigers an 11-10 lead in the third game. An ace by Berlingo shortly after, made it 13-10 in favor of the Tigers and Luzzi pounded another kill, giving the hosts a 14-10 advantage.

Luzzi’s ace extended the Tigers’ edge to 20-12 later in the third set and an ace by Pizzimbono made it 25-17, capping the third game for SHG.

“I think our energy was really high and we weren’t letting anything drop,” Luzzi said of the Tigers’ play in the third set vs. GFA. “We played them before. The first two sets were really good and we knew where they were going to go and what they were going to do, so we expected it.”

“They are really offense heavy,” Luzzi said of Greens Farms. “If we give them a free ball and it’s in system, we know it’s going to be a good ball. So, being ready for the offense and playing defense on them were important.”

Lily Fitzpatrick, a senior, had three aces and one block, while junior Grace Im posted two kills, one block and one assist for SHG.

The Tigers’ roster includes four seniors, three juniors, four sophomores, two freshmen and an eighth grader.

“We’re a young team but it doesn’t really change anything, we’re all so connected on and off the court,” Luzzi noted. “We’re a really good, connected team.”

“We only have a few more FAA matches left and I’m feeling really confident and I’m really excited to see what we can do at FAAs,” Pizzimbono added.

Said Wilson-Jordan: “I’m proud of the way our team has come along. Hopefully, we’re going to peak in the playoffs.”