Longtime teammates Gulakowski, Hartoyo hope to lead Chartiers Valley volleyball deep into playoffs

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, September 28, 2018 | 7:45 PM

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When they met as fourth-graders at Our Lady of Grace Catholic School, Ashlynn Gulakowski and Mara Hartoyo didn’t exactly hit it off. Gulakowski went so far as to say she didn’t like her classmate “at all.”

Both fierce competitors, they often ended up guarding each other during basketball games, which only fed their rivalry.

Jump ahead eight years. Hartoyo and Gulakowski are senior captains for the Chartiers Valley volleyball team and fast friends.

“We know a lot about each other,” Gulakowski said with a laugh.

As teammates for the past eight years, they learned playing together is much more enjoyable than competing against one another. As setter (Gulakowski) and hitter (Hartoyo), they have developed a chemistry they hope will lead the Colts on a deep playoff run.

Through Sept. 26, the Colts were 6-2 overall and 6-1 in Section 2-AAA. That stretch included a win over Montour, something the team had not achieved since Gulakowski and Hartoyo entered high school. They also earned a critical 3-1 win over South Fayette on Sept. 25 behind 51 assists from Gulakowski and 18 kills by Hartoyo.

Gulakowski got her start in volleyball as a hitter until former teammate Allie Ferri got her to try setting. Gulakowski took to it naturally and switched positions, but her height (5-foot-10) and hitter’s mentality enabled her to remain a presence at the net.

Hartoyo, who said she was “really, really tiny” in grade school, has grown into a 5-9 outside hitter who is among the best in the section.

“When (Ashlynn) came to high school, I thought she was going to be a hitter,” coach Jason Ferri said. “But we noticed she had these great soft hands.

“(Mara) has developed into a really nice No. 1 outside hitter. She has a lot of different shots she can use, and she’s very smart with what she does with the ball.”

As they grew into their roles, their connection on the court became more instinctive. Each could count on the other to know what was coming.

“We will just kind of look at each other, and we know what we’re going to do next,” Hartoyo said.

But the pair brings more to the court than statistics. Their leadership has become an important part of the Colts’ mission, and they want the team to be unified.

“We just want them to always support each other,” said Gulakowski, who verbally committed to Cal (Pa.). “High school sports is kind of hard, especially if you’re dealing with our age specifically. We’re kind of dramatic.

“We always want them to be close. I want that to always be the case. We all support each other and will always be like a family.”

Whether those qualities are enough to lead the Colts to a section title remains to be seen, though the two said making a deep run in the playoffs is foremost in their minds. The outcome of the season is particularly important to Hartoyo, who plans to attend Pitt but will not play intercollegiate volleyball.

Competition in Section 2-AAA is tight with West Allegheny, South Fayette, Montour and the Colts battling for the top spots. The early-season win over Montour proved to Chartiers Valley it could prevail in close matches, and that’s something its captains are hoping continues into late October.

“Last year, we’d be right there with (the top teams), and then at the end, they would just pull through,” Hartoyo said. “It seemed like every single time, they did that. This year, I feel like we’re finally going to be the ones to pull through at the end.”

Chuck Curti is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact at Chuck at ccurti@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CCurti_Trib.