Telegraph photo by TOM KING Nashua North's Alyssa Stanton fires one of her 10 kills past Nashua South's Anne Sherman during the Titans' 3-2 win Wednesday night at North.

NASHUA – If someone would have told Nashua High School North girls volleyball coach Nicole Fitzgibbons a couple of weeks ago that her team would sweep defending Divison I champion and chief rival Nashua South to start the season, she likely wouldn’t have believed you.

But that’s exactly what the Titans have done. They followed up Monday’s four-set win with an exciting 3-2 win over the Panthers Wednesday night in a match that was more fitting for a good rivalry.

“I don’t know if I would have been completely 100 percent with it,” Fitzgibbons said. “Given the way that everybody was coming in, we wanted to make sure we were ready to go.”

It’s a tough 0-2 start for the Panthers, but South coach Erica Vendituoli felt that her team improved greatly from a flat opener on Monday, and that’s what she was looking for.

“That was a great North-South Battle of the Bridge that you want to see,” she said. “The girls improved so much from Monday, and they had so much fun, which I think is what counts.

“It was back and forth, and tonight just went to the home team. … We’re moving in the right direction.”

The Titans took a tight opening set, 28-26, but the Panthers looked sharp in taking the next two, 25-18 and 25-20. But The Titans jumped out to a 12-7 lead in the fourth set, and broke away from a slim 19-18 lead for a 25-22 win to even things up.

But this was a match in which momentum was a fleeting thing to snatch when either team could. The Titans jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the final set but the Panthers rallied and things were even at 13.

Enter North sophomore Alyssa Stanton, who possesses a vicious kill shot. One of her team-high 10 kills gave the Titans a 14-13 lead and then they finished it for a 15-13 deciding fifth set win.

“She’s doing really well,” Fitzgibbons said. “She’s only a sophomore but she’s showing a lot of promise. All the way around, she’s passing, she’s hitting, she’s serving, she’s showing a lot of great stuff. She showed a great deal of mental toughness to handle the ball under pressure (at the end).”

Senior Jamie Parker had 20 service points and 12 digs for North, while Stanton added six aces to her 10 kills.

Natalie Boyle led South with 13 kills, while Carol Leigh Letterman had seven kills, seven aces and five digs. Kim Hendrick added six blocks and five kills.

After the middle sets, it looked as if South would get revenge for Monday’s loss, but the Titans dug deep.

“These girls absolutely inspire me with their work ethic and their no-quit attitude,” Fitzgibbons said. “I love the way their coming back and fighting, no matter what the circumstances are holding.

“It’s great for this early in the season; I think it shows a lot.”

Sounds like the Titans have made their coach a believer.

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