Swan song for Island volleyball team; drop playoff round playing with fire and grit

The November 8 playoff match at Hauppauge High School between Shelter Island School varsity volleyball team and Section IX’s Tuxedo Tornados marked the 13th consecutive year that we moved on to post season play.

With the classification numbers changing this year, the Class D playoffs look a bit different. The Island is now the only Class D volleyball school on Long Island.

Four JV players made the trip and got a taste of post-season play. Isabelle Topliff was the assistant scorekeeper, while Jane Richards, Maria Carbajal and Amelia Clark kept our stats up to date.

After introductions and the National Anthem, both teams took the court, but played without much urgency. In an effort to match up our best blocker with their best hitter, we shifted the lineup a little, which led to a couple of miscommunications on the court and out-of-rotation calls. After a quick 3-point start, we allowed Tuxedo to run off 8 points, largely on our hitting errors. While we were able to regroup a bit, and start getting some kills, the Tornados won the first set, 25-9.

Stung, we came out stronger on the second set. Setter Sarah Lewis started connecting with Amira Lawrence and her booming hits wowed the Tornado players and coaches alike. Julia Labrozzi scrambled for a tip off a block firing up the team, and Nicolette Frasco hit down an overpass for 1 point. Phoebe Stazee served tough, Olivia Yeaman got a kill off a Lawrence set, and Nichole Hand got her hitting warmed up. A Lewis ace tied the score at 22-22, but Tuxedo’s strongest server forced two serve/receive errors, and they took the second set 25-23.

The third set was evenly matched in the early going, before a 10-point run by Tuxedo fueled by their hitting and our errors largely took the steam out of our game. On the urging of Assistant Coach Jim Theinert, and a booming kill followed by a block by Lawrence, a spark was lit, fueling a mini-comeback to meet our interim goals. Unfortunately, the gap was too much to overcome, and Tuxedo took the match 25-14.

Following the loss, the team’s mood was philosophical. We had a bonus two weeks of play after our petition for playoffs was approved, giving us time to enjoy Lawrence’s return to the team.

I’ll miss the players who will be graduating and moving on. Seniors Olivia Yeaman and Domily Gil played volleyball for the first time this year. Gill made herself known as a competitive middle hitter, while Yeaman’s role as a backup on the right side often led to cheers as her sometimes unconventional hitting led to points. Genesis Urbaez was back on the court this season after her role as our scorekeeper in 2015.

We were glad to have her quick wit to keep us on our toes. Melissa Frasco, while not a tall player, made her presence known in the middle, blocking unsuspecting opponents. Lawrence was back in action for the last two matches of the year, bringing her powerful hitting and intimidating blocking. Captains Nicolete Frasco and Labrozzi each brought leadership to the court- Labrozzi with her communication skills and Melissa Frasco with her all-out style of play as she chased down balls in the back row.

Team Manager Alexis Perlaki has been a fledgling assistant coach for two years. Her powerful serve lent match-like conditions to practice, while her organization skills, including ordering the new team jackets were much appreciated. The junior high volleyball season has started, and those dozen athletes have Perlaki assisting Coach Brian Becker again, passing on her knowledge and enthusiasm and preparing them for the next level of play.

As the 2016 season completes its final circle, I look back with fondness on this team. As anyone who has played sports knows, these players will remember the bus rides, the laughs at practices and the feeling of community and teamwork throughout their life. Championships are great, but memories and friendships are priceless. We played well, we had fun. That is success. And, as I’ve told the team countless times, I am always proud to be their coach.

Thanks for the season Shelter Island Volleyball!