Traditionally one of the best teams in the South-West Conference, Newtown High School's girls' volleyball team is striving to be the best squad in the SWC this fall. Not that the Nighthawks don't aim for championship success every season, but this year is a bit different in the eyes of Coach Tom Czaplinski and his players.

"It's a season unlike most others because we have quite a few girls who chose to play volleyball in the offseason, unlike in years past," Czaplinski said. "The girls made a commitment to get better at playing volleyball."

Even if some of the team members are multi-sport athletes, they found time to get into the gym to play in the offseason. The team members competed in, and won, a summer league at NYA Sports & Fitness.

This lineup, which will have to overcome the loss of three graduates, is looking to go deeper into the SWC tourney than it did a year ago, when the Nighthawks were knocked out in the semifinals. The team members are optimistic their hard work during the summer will pay dividends.

"I think that's really going to benefit us," captain Tessa Leon-Gambetta said.

A pair of former players - 2009 graduate Megan Casey (who was on two SWC runner-up squads) and 2011 state tournament MVP Emma Herring (also a two-time SWC champ) - are back to help out as volunteers. And Czaplinski's staff is also joined by volunteers Henryk and Kelly Teraskiewicz.

In addition to Leon-Gambetta and captain Molly McCoy, key returnees include Kaitlyn Schneider, Zoe Beals, Erin Burns, and Sarah Dowling.

"I'm really excited for the season. We're a really close team and we all get along really well," said Leon-Gambetta, adding, "And I think that helps us on the court a lot."

"We know our strengths and weaknesses," said McCoy, adding that she likes the team's chances of winning the SWC title. "I think they're pretty good, as long as we keep working hard, fixing our weaknesses."

The Nighthawks will have to work hard on all facets of the game, but there's one area that can make or break the season, Czaplinski believes.

"I think passing is going to be the key for us," said the coach, adding that if the Hawks pass the ball better than they did last year, when they posted a record of 11-8 and fell in the first round of the Class LL state tournament, they should have more success.

Two-time champion and perennial powerhouse Joel Barlow of Redding is generally the biggest hurdle for Newtown and other teams to overcome on the road to the SWC championship. Weston and Brookfield are also good teams, but Czaplinski likes the way his lineup stacks up against the competition, saying his squad has a golden opportunity to come out on top in the conference this go around.

In fact, he pretty much expects his squad to take home the title if the team members play to their capabilities.

"Not winning will be a bit of a letdown for us," the coach said. "I think we have a good shot at it."