Girls Volleyball: Considering a match and a season for the books

When you look at just the bottom line of the Southeastern NY Regional Finals — Haldane beats Shelter Island 3-0 to move on to the State Final Four — you just don’t get the full story.

On 11/11/11, the Shelter Island volleyball team boarded a bus headed for Bedford, up in Westchester County. Section 11’s Class D representative, we were hoping the power of the 11s would give us the edge over the Haldane Blue Devils.

We arrived early at the Fox Lane High School. With the gym still locked, the team opted to roll down the long hill to the football field, then take a warm-up lap around the track. Keyed up, but calm, the team then headed to the cold gym to put on ankle braces, knee pads and shoes, and tie back their hair for the big match.

As we went through our pre-match rituals, fans began to filter in. A loud “Let’s go blue!” introduced Coach Sue Kostal and members of the Greenport team who made the long trip to cheer us on. There was a surprise visit by big sisters Kaitie McGayhey and Nikki Clark to see Kelsey and Jayme in action. Parents, siblings and cousins in Shelter Island volleyball shirts began to fill the stands. As they stretched, the players gathered in a circle sharing with one another who they would like to thank for helping to get them to this day.

Finally, after player introductions and the National Anthem, the match began. As is reported elsewhere in this issue, it was a very close match, with neither team able to get more than 2 or 3 points at a time. The Indians had been working with “Sasha,” the serving machine donated by the Lions Club. The machine allows hard and soft serves, floats and top spins. This preparation helped tremendously as the Indians faced very hard hits and tough serves.

I believe that Haldane was surprised by the intensity of the Shelter Island attack and the determination of our defense. The unbelievably long volley on the third point of the game was telling: Shelter Island won the duel and you could practically read the mind of the Blue Devils: Dang, that little team came to play!

Every player on the team contributed to the match. MeMe Lawrence and Tara Sturges cheered loudly and kept team spirits high. Jayme Clark had a dynamite day, keeping Haley Willumsen running our offense off tough digs. Katy Binder’s calm strength on the court kept the team on an even keel. Kelsey McGayhey was the go-to hitter of the match. One of her spikes provided an unintended light moment during the tense battle: She jumped to attack the ball and the Haldane block deflected the ball back onto our court. Still in mid-air, Kelsey’s cheek ricocheted it back to the Blue Devils’ side and Shelter Island won the point.

Alexis Gibbs, Saverina Chicka and Morgan McCathy all helped slow the Haldane attack with their blocks. After Sav stuffed blocked a hitter, Haldane avoided setting that side of the court again. It was a great example of how a player can influence a game just by being present on the court. Erin Colligan’s quick defense and trademark down-the-line hits also contributed to the closeness of the match.

As a coach, I was very happy to see the calm and controlled emotion on the court. In such a high stakes match, it would be easy to become overly tense and lose momentum on nerves. Despite some calls by the officials that didn’t go our way, the team remained poised and positive throughout the entire match.

As the whistle blew to signal the final point and our season came to an end, there was tangible disappointment. We knew that we needed to play a nearly perfect match to beat Haldane. We had merely played an excellent match.

Back on the bus, it was quiet but after the first hour there were signs of life — conversation, then laughter.

Haley and Kelsey, the seniors, were quieter as they reflected on the final bus ride of their high school volleyball career. While their senior season ended without fulfilling the dream of making the state finals, time will give them the perspective of what a fabulous run they have had.

In their three years on varsity, they have never lost a league game. Although reliable stats have only been kept for the past five years, Kelsey’s 540 career kills and Haley’s 1,055 assists are sure to be Shelter Island team records. The program has become a respected and feared opponent, both in League 8 and against larger teams. They helped secure the 8th consecutive Class D Suffolk championship. They went to the state final four 2 of 3 years. The duo has set the bar very high for future teams to meet.

The 2012 returning team has much to look forward to. Each year we begin with a core of athletes. Some develop quickly and surprise us, others come into the season with new ideas and energy from camps or club seasons. Each year new players discover the joy of volleyball.

I was once told that you never want to be an athlete’s last coach. Instilling the love of the game and the camaraderie of competition are lifelong lessons for athletes. I hope that as players mature, perhaps playing in college or recreational leagues, they might someday consider being a coach. They can return the favor of long nights poring over drill books and videos, balancing the development of one player against the stats of another and listening to the concerns of parents. Coaching isn’t easy but I love it.

Thank you Shelter Island volleyball players. It’s been a year for the record books. See you at the gym.