Girls Volleyball: Indians find route to Glens Falls goes through Haldane
Tucked alongside the Hudson River in the village of Cold Spring, N.Y., Haldane High School is more than 140 miles from Shelter Island.
For two small schools, they’ve become linked together by a common passion in their athletic programs: girls volleyball. The Blue Devils, in Section 1, have won nine straight sectional titles. Shelter Island, meanwhile, has become the class of girls volleyball on the east end of Long Island, dominating League VIII this season by sweeping every match.
The Indians and Blue Devils renewed their rivalry Friday afternoon in the Class D Regional Final at Fox Lane High School in Bedford, N.Y — the third straight year the teams have met in the postseason.
State finalists last year who returned their entire roster, the Blue Devils came into this season on a mission to win a state title, and they took another step with a three-game sweep of the Indians to hand Shelter Island its first loss of the season. A match that was rarely separated by more than a few points in any game, the Blue Devils won 25-19, 25-23, 25-20.
“The girls really want to be back at states,” said Haldane coach Melissa Rossano, who’s in her third year leading the Blue Devils. “We knew that we had to step it up or Shelter Island was going to take the game away from us.”
Haldane (20-2) advances to Glens Falls and will play in semifinal pool play next Saturday. The Blue Devils denied the Indians a repeat trip to states by playing a tremendous all-around game, from their passing to hitting to serving.
Two years ago the Indians knocked off Haldane to advance to Glens Falls. Last year the teams met in pool play at Glens Falls and Haldane won a close match.
“They’re a very talented team, always strong,” said Shelter Island coach Cindy Belt. “They have a lot of kids who play club ball and they’re well coached.”
Last year the brackets aligned differently so Shelter Island didn’t have to face Haldane before Glens Falls. It created a much easier route to states, a luxury the Indians (13-1) weren’t afforded this season by having to face one of the top teams in Class D before the state championship.
“We knew going into this that it was going to be a tough match for us and that it was going to be good competition, which is something that we don’t have around here in Class D,” Rossano said.
How closely the teams were matched was evident from the start when the teams exchanged a long volley for the third point that finally ended with senior Haley Willumsen delivering the kill for Shelter Island. The Indians came out strong with a quick 4-1 lead, but the Blue Devils regrouped and began to assert themselves. A big hit from Haldane senior Kelsey Flaherty put the Blue Devils ahead 10-7, prompting a time-out from Shelter Island.
Facing such a strong team, the Indians had trouble stringing together consecutive points. The Blue Devils consistently maintainted a few point lead, which Belt said came down to confidence.
“When we take a look at these two teams, they have the edge in confidence,” she said. “I think that little bit of edge in confidence made a difference. A point here or a point there when the score’s are so close, that’s it.”
The Indians got a strong effort from their two seniors, Willumsen and Kelsey McGayhey, who delivered some bruising hits. Both three-year varsity players, they played instrumental roles in leading the Indians to an undefeated league title this season.
Belt said Willumsen, a setter, was a huge factor in the Indians’ success this season.
“We can run plays that we have never been able to run,” she said. “She’s a very determined player and she has really good hands.”
Belt described McGayhey as a “powerhouse.”
“When we need to get something, set up to Kelsey,” she said.
The second game proved to be the closest for Shelter Island. The game was tied at 17 after Haldane sophomore Katie Cunningham drove a ball into the hardwood for a kill. The teams traded point and were tied at 20. The Indians trailed 24-22 when junior Katy Binder dropped a soft tip-in to close the gap to one. But the Blue Devils responded by scoring the next point when a hit from Binder went out long.
“I’m so proud of the girls today,” Belt said. “A couple mistakes here, a couple mistakes there, but overall I think they did a great job.”
The Indians return all their team minus Willumsen and McGayhey, so the future remains bright at Shelter Island.
“We have a really good crop of girls,” Belt said. “I’m always enthusiastic. It’s going to be a different team, but we’re going to do well.”
And it would surprise no one that come next November, Shelter Island and Haldane renew their rivalry once again.
