'Super' Senior Class Leads Owls' Volleyball Into NCAA Tournament

WESTFIELD, Mass. –  Westfield State volleyball's strong senior class – anchored by fifth year seniors Brianna Starkey and Lizzie Taylor, have keyed the Owls perfect season in the MASCAC and have the Owls ready to compete in the NCAA tournament at Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y. on Friday night.

Starkey and senior setter Ally Rega serve as the team's co-captains, and four-time all-conference libero Lizzie Taylor anchors the Owls' back line with a flamboyant style of play, frequently diving for every dig available.

Senior hitter Natasha Belardo has juggled working full time with volleyball and classes this season, middle blocker Hanna Simpkins is part of the rotation in the Owls front row, and Cait Medeiros is an enthusiastic presence off the bench.

The Owls have engineered an impressive turnaround in just over a year, opening the 2018 campaign 0-13, before rallying late in the year for a run to the conference finals, missing the NCAA tournament by single win in that final game which could have earned them an automatic bid to the tournament. 

"Even though we had started the year 0-13, I still knew we could win a conference championship," said Starkey. "I used to get a lot of jokes from Andrew Carpenter and some of the other guys on the football team, who couldn't believe we went from 0-13 to playing for the conference championship.  The beginning of the year (in 2018) was rough, but I think we were just getting used to playing together and needed that adjustment period."

This year, no such adjustment period was required, as Starkey came back for a final (and fifth) year after not playing as a freshman at Westfield.

"I picked up a double major and came back for an extra semester of school.  I knew I could lead this team by the way we had grown last year," said the Owls co-captain.

The Owls also got Taylor back after she missed the entire 2018 season with an injury.

"Lizzie is a phenomenal defensive player," said Starkey.  "In my opinion we'd have beaten Worcester in the finals last year if we had had her."

"Lizzie is the best libero in New England," said Glanville. "We were so happy to get her at Westfield State as a recruit. She's amazing."

"Getting Lizzie back was one of the final pieces, added Starkey.  "She's a confident leader in the back row, and she pushes everyone to be better, and I hear her talking all of the time, to try and help everyone to get to her level.  I think she boosts the confidence of the whole back line."

Owls' back row players Jess Haradon and Lynn Shattuck benefitted from the extra playing time in the back in 2018 season.  Glanville credited the defensive effort in the MASCAC Championship game as a big part of the team's 3-1 win over Framingham.

"I didn't know how I would play this year," said Taylor. "I worked super hard at PT all summer, and it's probably been one of my best seasons, and I am happy to have a chance to come back and reach the goal of getting to NCAA's.

"Last year, being on the bench all year was very eye-opening. It gave me a chance to see the game from another side, cheering, trying to hype everyone up.  Now I'm trying to bring that on to the court, to be smart, to play one play at a time, not focus on what happened 10 plays ago.   It was a really good experience to watch from the bench for a year."

Captains Starkey and Rega are the glue in the Owls lineup.

"Brianna came back for her fifth season," said Glanville. "She's the rock of the team She never falls apart.  Everyone holds on to her to stay in the game."

"Bri is a fantastic player," said Taylor.  "She's a great captain and a great friend.  Ally and Bri make sure we all work together and that there's no drama.  Over the summer Ally worked super hard, and really stepped up to the role of setter.  It was hard but she never complained."

"Ally has grown a lot," said Starkey.  "She came in as a hitter and transitioned to setter, and she's hit 1,500 assists in her career.  ('I'm glad I could help her with that,' joked Starkey.)   She does a great job as a leader and a captain.  She's happy and uplifting no matter what is going on, and she holds herself accountable when she does make a mistake."

Belardo has performed a juggling act throughout the fall, balancing a full class schedule with a full time job and playing her final season of volleyball at the same time. 

"She just keeps going," said Taylor of Belardo. "She's present, and puts her all in, she gets up at 3 am to go to work, and she's making it all work."

"Natasha said she wasn't going to play after last season," said Starkey.   "But that changed over the summer, she knew it was her last year and couldn't stay away.  She's one of our smartest hitters, hits for a high percentage, sees the open spots in the court, and tips over blocks.  You know she's going to put it over, and sometimes that's all you need."

Simpkins transferred to Westfield when Mount Ida College unexpectedly closed, and Medeiros was also a late addition to the Owls after transferring from UMass-Dartmouth.

"Hanna stepped up and filled our other middle position and played with little error all season," said Starkey.  While Caitlyn did not get much playing time this season she is that player that makes our practices competitive.  Both great assets to our team and extremely thankful they ended up transferring to be Owls for their final seasons."

The Owls senior class is bolstered by a pair of sophomores, twins Ashley and Shawna Crowley, who were named All-Conference and Conference Tournament MVP, respectively, perhaps giving Westfield its strongest lineup for a tournament team in their five trips to the NCAA Tournament under coach Glanville.

"I wanted to start a legacy," said Starkey. "You see our women's basketball team go to the NCAA's four years in a row – I didn't think there was any reason we couldn't do the same thing and start our own legacy for volleyball."

"This means everything right now," said Taylor.  "Since my freshman year it's been a goal to go to NCAA's, and in the last couple of weeks we have really stepped up and we deserve to be there.  We've played tournament teams, and dominated the MASCAC, so we are prepared. We knew our goal and worked for it and we are so excited."