Last year, the Wilbur Cross girls volleyball team barely broke even on wins and losses. This year, led by a strong setter and “kill” specialist, fueled by Froyo, and united by tie-dye, the Governors have won their division for the first time ever.
All season the Governors have dominated their district , which includes the East Haven, Branford, and North Haven high schools and New Haven’s Career High. Cross is undefeated against those teams. That has qualified them for a spot in the Southern Connecticut Conference tournament, a feat no New Haven volleyball team has ever achieved.
“I don’t think they understand the magnitude of what they’ve done,” said Coach Michelle Cabaldon (at center in above photo) on Monday evening. She was overseeing varsity warm-ups before the Governors faced off against Madison’s Daniel Hand High Tigers. In between bumping, setting, and digging drills, the Governors chanted, “Red Hot! R‑E-D-H-O‑T!”
The Governors took the match against Hand, three games to one.
Even Cabaldon is trying to get her head around her team’s historic accomplishment. “I feel so great. I’m so excited. I didn’t expect this.”
Last year, the Governors went 9 and 9 and made it to the state championships. But the team was not dominant the way it is this year. Cabaldon said this season’s success comes in large part due to two players: juniors Alisha Noble (in right photo) and Aaliyah Robinson (Cabaldon’s daughter, left). They are the only two junior starters; the rest are seniors.
Robinson is a setter. Noble is an outside hitter and a “kill” specialist. Robinson always seems to know where Noble is, Cabaldon said. The setter consistently dishes up the ball for powerful spikes by the hitter.
With 197 so far this season, Noble leads the team in kills — point-winning spikes. Robinson is not far behind, with 150. She leads the team in aces.
At 5 feet 5 inches, Noble is far from the tallest on the team. “Her hand barely even goes over the net,” Cabaldon said. But she has a powerful vertical leap and unerring timing, according to her coach. She’s able to time her strikes for maximum accuracy and impact.
In a pause before taking the court on Monday, Noble and Robinson offered their modest theory on the team’s success — cohesion.
“We’re working more as a team,” Noble said. The Governors have been spending more time together outside of practice and competition, she said. For instance, they got together a few weeks ago to make tie-dyed T‑shirts, which they now use as warm-up jerseys. And last Friday they all went out for frozen yogurt at the new Froyo Lounge downtown. That social time has paid off in the form of successful plays at game time.
The girls declined to predict their success in the conference finals. They’re taking it point by point.
“We just have to go after every single ball that drops,” Robinson said.
“Hustle. Keep communicating,” Noble added.
The juniors ran onto the court to take on the Tigers. The Governors went on to win the match in four games, with a total of 23 kills and 20 aces by Robinson and Noble.
The Governors host Shelton on Wednesday and start conference championship play next Tuesday.
it is so great to see strong young women working together! congrats, & go get 'em, governors;)