Masuk Sweeps Cheshire For CIAC Boys Volleyball Class M Championship

HARTFORD, CT — Entering the CIAC boys volleyball Class M championship contest Friday in the Sport and Medical Sciences Academy gymnasium, only one thing was assured: either Masuk or Cheshire would win its first title in more than a decade. Just over an hour after the opening serve, the fourth-seeded Panthers put away the No. 6 Rams in three straight sets, claiming the school's first state crown since 2009.

Game scores were 25-18, 25-19 and 25-15.

Cheshire held the lead just a handful of times in the opening set, before Masuk converted five straight points for a 14-10 advantage. The Panthers briefly trailed 4-3 in the third set before a four-point run put them back on top for good.

"From the beginning, once we took the lead, they never recovered," Masuk head coach Hipolito Castro said. "I tip my hat to them. We've had some great battles."

Nathan McCauley paced the Panthers with 18 kills. Daniel Ferris added 14 kills and setter Nathan Kurkoski contributed 39 assists.

Cheshire, which was seeking its first state title since winning back-to-back Class L championships in 2011 and 2012, was led by 10 kills and two blocks by Matti Lilback. Will Allen had seven kills and three digs, while Matthew Irizarry accounted for 23 assists and four digs.