BETHEL -- Behind the solid all-around play of Carly Iwanicki (10 digs, 13 kills), Abbey Doski (10 digs), Jess Lynch (24 assists, 9 digs) and Emma Herring (7 kills), the Newtown girls volleyball team swept Bunnell past 25-17, 25-13, 25-21 in the SWC championship on Saturday night.

After taking a 9-8 lead, Newtown never trailed again in the opening game. In game two, the Nighthawks used runs of four, three, seven and four points to win easily. Then, it what would prove to be the final game of the match, the Bulldogs looked like they were ready to extend the evening, taking an early 14-9 lead. But Newtown coach Tom Czaplinski called time out, and the Nighthawks regrouped, going on an 8-0 run with Lynch serving to once again gain command of the game.

"I wish I could take credit for that, but it was all the girls," Czaplinski said. "They played amazing tonight."

"Newtown just played a phenomenal match tonight," agreed first-year Bunnell coach Garrett Covino. "Their consistency really beat us. They never backed down. Every time we made a little bit of a run, they came right back with a run of their own. They never let a ball hit the floor, and they kept making us play an extra ball."

Jana Kmec and Chloe Dyke were named to the All-Tournament team from Bunnell, while Nighthawks Iwanicki and Doski were honored.

"It feels really good," said Herring, the tourney's MVP, after the Nighthawks clinched their first SWC title since 2002. "We all wanted it so badly. We worked really hard for it and we finally got it."

Now it's off to the CIAC tournament for both teams, who each draw a bye in round one and will open play on Thursday on their home courts. Bunnell, the No. 5 seed in Class L, will face the winner of Pomperaug-Woodstock Academy. Newtown, seeded No. 8 in Class LL, will face No. 9 seed Cheshire.