Volleyball Falls to Fair Lawn

The Fair Lawn Cutters sweeped by Don Bosco 25-9, 25-18.

The Cutters (2-0), the No. 1 team in the preseason North Jersey Top 5, dominated the No. 3 Ironmen (0-2). They jumped out to a 7-1 advantage in the first game and never trailed afterward.

"A good win," said coach Pete Zisa, who nonetheless wasn’t happy with the effort in the second game. "But we got kind of lax and gave away too many free points, too many unnecessary points."

Zisa has high expectations for the Cutters, who won league and County titles in 2009 with a 26-3 record and a young lineup. They’re now starting six seniors — many of whom played key roles in last year’s run to the State tournament semifinals — and Zisa is hoping experience begets greater success, as often is the case in high school sports.

"I considered last year more of a rebuilding year. And we played really well," Zisa said. "So this year, I’m hoping we can take that experience and take it to the next level."

The Cutters flexed their experience against Don Bosco, which graduated much of the lineup that finished 24-8 last season, including standout setter Doug Battersby. Fair Lawn went on an 11-2 run to seal the first game, and then buried Don Bosco with a 15-9 run in the second game.