2026 CIAC girls volleyball and field hockey tournaments see multiple upsets

The opening rounds of the 2026 CIAC girls volleyball and field hockey tournaments concluded with multiple upsets across various classes, Yahoo Sports reported.

In the volleyball tournament, the FCIAC started with 10 teams, with six advancing to the second round. Notably, No. 8 Warde defeated No. 25 New Canaan 3-1 in an FCIAC vs. FCIAC matchup. Other conferences like the CCC, SCC, and ECC also saw teams advance, with several lower-seeded teams winning their matches, including No. 17 Platt, No. 20 Branford, and No. 19 Brookfield in Class L, and multiple upsets in Class S and Class M.

Key individual performances highlighted the volleyball first round, such as Shea Carlson of Berlin with three aces and eight digs in a 3-0 win, and Bella Green of Hamden who had 16 kills and 13 digs in a 3-1 victory.

In the field hockey tournament, a major upset occurred when No. 13 Suffield defeated No. 4 North Branford, ending North Branford's streak of advancing past the first round since 2015. Suffield's Amelia Shanks scored both the opening and the winning goal with two seconds left. Other upsets included No. 9 Northwest Catholic's double overtime win and No. 10 Pomperaug's victory over No. 7 New Milford.

The field hockey teams also faced significant travel, with No. 10 Stonington traveling across the state for their matches. Goalie Fiona Scozzafava of Nonnewaug was instrumental in her team's 1-0 overtime win, making 15 saves and stopping three shots in the shootout.

The tournaments continue with second-round matchups set, including No. 10 Ludlowe at No. 7 Darien in volleyball and No. 13 Newington at No. 4 Southington, as well as quarterfinal games in field hockey.

What we're watching: The upcoming rounds will test the resilience of both higher and lower-seeded teams as they vie for spots in the later stages of the CIAC tournaments.