Boys' volleyball preview: Algonquin's Zach Nicoletti eager to get season started
By Jay Gearan, Correspondent
Mar 31, 2017 at 6:10 PM Mar 31, 2017 at 10:32 PM
NORTHBORO — Nick Bryant, coach of the Algonquin Regional boys' volleyball team, knows the importance of the outside hitter position. And he's fortunate to have senior Zach Nicoletti in that role.
"To be a good outside you have to do everything well, efficient passing, great serving, blocking. Zach, with his athleticism, really has the best of those skills," said Bryant in the Algonquin gym before a practice last week. "Every year he's become better for us, and I would say he made our highlight reel the most last year."
With inspired play and key strikes above the net, Nicoletti, from Southboro, helped lead the Tomahawks to the Mid-Wach League title last year. In the postseason, they advanced to the Central Mass. semifinals before losing to Framingham, the eventual state champions.
As his final season gets underway, Nicoletti said he is ready and optimistic.
"We're hoping to go as far as we can in the playoffs again this year, and maybe a state championship," said Nicoletti, who said his two top games from a year ago were the playoff wins over Wachusett and Natick. "Both matches went to five games and were close all the way to the end."
About playing the outside position, the 6-foot, 150-pound Nicoletti said, "I really like it because I get to hit and I also get to play defense too. Getting a kill is one of the best feelings you can have in the game. I get pumped up and it's really fun."
Added Bryant: "It helps to be very tall in this sport, but Zach isn't really a big dude. Still, he jumps well and his arm speed is incredibly fast. That's how you get a lot of power and that's the name of the game."
Naturally, Nicoletti's parents, Jenn and Rick, are big fans of the Tomahawks. They also understand the sport very well.
"After college, both my parents starting playing volleyball in adult leagues," said Nicoletti, who just completed a winter season on a club team with his father as a teammate. "In our backyard, I pass the ball, bump, set, hit with my dad all the time."
Bryant, now in his third year, said he knows that Nicoletti needs talented players around him in order for the Tomahawks to be successful.
"There's no such thing as one-on-one volleyball. It's all about bettering the ball from pass to set to kill," said Bryant, noting the value of other talented players from the Class of 2017, including starting setter John Arcona, right side Colin Galligan, and middles Matt Hurley and Dustin Hartnett.
"Zach can pick out a spot on the floor and his hits are like bullets, but sometimes they're not as hard and you can tell he's aiming for just the right area on the court even when he's up in the air," the 6-foot-4 Hartnett said of Nicoletti.
"I always try to pick a spot that's harder to defend," Nicoletti said. "In my mind I'm thinking about the floor while also looking at the blocker in front of me. Timing is the hardest part and you just have to practice a lot."
Needless to say, Hartnett, Nicoletti and the rest of the Tomahawks are "pumped" for the season to begin.
"We begin every match by huddling together and shouting, 'T-Hawks on three. One, two, three!' " Nicoletti said.
Now the countdown to the 2017 volleyball new season is ticking down — three, two, one. ...
The Tomahawks were scheduled to open the season Friday at home against Bay Path.
—Contact Jay Gearan at sports@telegram.com.