Update: Newtown will host Pomperaug in the SWC semifinals on Wednesday, November 3, starting at 6 pm.

The second-seeded Newtown High School girls’ volleyball team defeated seventh-seeded and visiting Masuk of Monroe in three games of the South-West Conference Tournament quarterfinals on November 1.

The Nighthawks won 25-19, 25-17, 25-23, overcoming an early 10-6 deficit and a 22-20 Masuk lead in the last game.

Newtown closed things out with the last two points. Zosia Teraszkiewicz hit a cross-court kill off a Masuk hand and out of bounds for a 24-23 NHS edge. Chloe O’Connell closed out the match with an ace.

With the win, the Nighthawks advance to the Wednesday, November 3, semifinals. The Hawks will be home for the semis at 6 pm.

Highlights in the back-and-forth third game included some long rallies including one that ended with a Delia Clouden kill following a diving save by Teraszkiewicz for a 17-16 Nighthawk lead and another that was capped by Keyera Smith’s Kill after a Lauren Young diving play for an 18-17 Newtown lead.

Teraszkiewicz had consecutive aces for a 16-15 NHS lead among her six aces in the match. All told, Newtown had 15, including three apiece by Young and O’Connell.

Clouden had nine kills; Smith logged eight kills; Amaro Beard-Galati had six kills; O’Connell registered six digs; and Shannon Muckell had 23 assists and two digs. Teraszkiewicz compiled ten kills, 11 assists, and five digs to go along with her half dozen aces.

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