BOSTON, Mass. — Winsted native Alesia Vaccari has been named head coach of the Simmons College volleyball team, Director of Athletics Ali Kantor announced recently. Vaccari will be joining the Simmons Sharks for the fall 2011 season as a full-time member of the athletics department.Vaccari joins the Sharks after two years as the assistant coach for the Clarkson University volleyball program. In 2009, Vaccari helped lead the Golden Knights to their first Liberty League Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance as Clarkson went 28-7, the top winning percentage in program history.“I am so thrilled to have Alesia on staff,” said Kantor. “I truly believe she has the skills, enthusiasm and the commitment to the Simmons mission that will take our volleyball program to the next level.”“I see so much potential for these athletes to grow on and off the court,” said Vaccari. “I am looking forward to getting to work building the Simmons volleyball program.”Vaccari, a 2006 graduate of Springfield College with a degree in athletic training, was a two-time All-American for the Springfield Pride in 2003 and 2004, two seasons in which her team reached the NCAA Tournament. The 2004 NEWMAC Player of the Year as well, Vaccari is Springfield’s all-time leader in assists (5,196) and aces (321) while ranking eighth at the school in digs (1,196). Springfield went 109-31 in her four seasons (.779 winning percentage) and she played in all 140 matches over that four-year span.In addition to being a three-year captain for Springfield, Vaccari also was named the 2001 Connecticut High School Player of the Year while a student at The Gilbert School and was a Junior Olympic volleyball athlete.
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The young GNH squad got valuable experience against a quality opponent in the season opener. In team totals, the Yellowjackets rushed for 208 yards and passed for 54 yards.
Woodland, coming off an undefeated regular season in 2025, took an early lead against GNH and ran up the score. Woodland's quarterback Evan Mastropietro threw two touchdowns and rushed for a third. Justin Pringle also completed a trifecta with a rushing touchdown, reception touchdown and an interception returned for a touchdown for Woodland.
The game was played at Van Why Field in Winsted on a partly cloudy afternoon. It was about 72 degrees at kick-off time.Woodland scored four unanswered touchdowns in the first 10 minutes of play, starting with a 10-yard run by Pringle, then a 59-yard interception return by Pringle, then a 15-yard rush by Colby Marsan and a 60-yard pass from Mastropietro to Ryan Kenney.
GNH got on the board late in the first quarter when Airyn Berube rushed to the right and broke away for a 56-yard dash to the end zone. GNH often used a jumbo package with a full house in the backfield -- a familiar setup for coach Scott Salius and one the team leaned on last season.
Woodland added to its total with a 55-yard QB sneak by Mastropietro to bring the score to 35-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Woodland scored a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter. First, Marsan capped off a long drive with a 2-yard run and then Pringle caught a 15-yard touchdown pass near the end of the half.
The Gilbert School marching band offered a preview of its seasonal routine at halftime, performing a steampunk‑inspired show centered around a large mechanical clock in midfield.
Due to the lopsided 49-7 score, the referees allowed the clock to run in the second half. After a scoreless third quarter, Woodland scored on the first play of the fourth quarter -- a 75-yard run by Daniel Keogh to bring the score to 56-7.
GNH strung together a long drive through the rest of the fourth quarter that brought the Yellowjackets right down to the goal line. As the clock expired, a last‑ditch throw hung over the end zone before the defense rose up for an interception.
Friday night football is coming to Falls Village for GNH's next game, which will be played at Housatonic Valley Regional High School. The Yellowjackets are scheduled to host the Granby/Canton co-op team Friday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m
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