Matches won in the minimum three sets, or even four, show how strong a volleyball team can be. But so, too, do five-setters, especially close ones against top-notch competition. Newtown High School’s boys’ squad earned a hard-fought 3-2 win over visiting and defending South-West Conference Champion Joel Barlow at home on April 24, a win that certainly stands out amid a six-match winning streak.

The Nighthawks carried their winning ways into Wednesday’s visit to Kolbe Cathedral of Bridgeport (check the May 2 print edition of The Bee for coverage). They beat Kolbe in four sets in their first meeting.

Newtown overcame a first-set loss and Barlow forcing a decisive fifth set to win 23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 22-25, 15-9.

A.J. Zatulskis had 13 kills, five aces, two blocks, and 18 digs; Warner Bacon recorded 16 kills, and three blocks; Nate Twitchell had 14 kills, three aces, and 19 digs; Noel McLeod racked up 16 kills and 26 digs; Eli Sullivan compiled 25 digs; and Dima Frunza had 18 digs and 60 assists.

“We played as one team unit — everyone had a great game; everyone participated. The boys were excited,” Newtown Coach Abbi Debes said. “It’s huge.”

After all, Barlow might just be the toughest SWC competition the Hawks face this spring. Another potentially tough one will be May 12 at Masuk of Monroe, which was runner-up to Barlow last year; that match begins at 6:30 pm.

There is still plenty of challenging action on the schedule, including a rematch with Barlow.

“We’ll be seeing them again in about a week, at their place. It’ll be a different atmosphere,” Debes said of the Wednesday, May 7, clash with Barlow at 6 pm.

It will be a good test again, especially given this one is away from home but, win or lose, the Hawks certainly gained some significant confidence having beaten the Falcons once.

“This could be the year they can do it,” Debes said of the prospects for Newtown making a title run. “They have to be able to want it more than the coaches and they have to be able to keep focused.”

Newtown hosted New Milford on April 28 and posted a 3-0 (25-11, 25-15, 25-17) victory on April 28 to improve to 8-1 overall. Despite winning in three, this one did not match the level of play the Hawks displayed against Barlow, Debes noted.

“That’s our bar. We need to play at that level all the time,” she said of the 3-2 win over the Falcons.

Some bright spots for the Hawks against New Milford included strong defensive play from backup setter and junior Kade Deraney (who also logged 24 of Newtown’s 34 assists) as well as sophomore Ian Akbas getting onto the court for some playing time. Derany made a great diving effort well out of bounds near the NHS bench to keep the ball in play as the Hawks made New Milford work hard for its points.

McLeod had ten kills and ten digs; Zatulskis logged seven kills and five aces; Bacon had six kills, two aces; Twitchell logged six kills and 13 digs; Cole Sgagliardich had four kills and two blocks; and Sullivan compiled 13 digs.

Putting teams away in three sets generally is not easy. Set three was a tight one much of the way with things going back and forth to the tune of six ties until NHS scored three in a row only to see the Green Wave answer with the next three points to knot the score at 9-9. Newtown then scored five in a row. Twitchell had a point to end a long rally, Zatulskis hit a smash that was too hot to handle for another point, and McLeod took something off his return to place the ball just over the net from his back row position during the run. The Hawks did not relinquish the lead the rest of the way and Zatulskis finished off the match with an ace.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.