Shelter Island junior high volleyball team goes 8-3 on season: Finishes strong, winning last four matches

The 7th and 8th grade seasons seem to go by in a flash.
While the volleyball team started practice in mid-November, the Thanksgiving and long Christmas breaks chop up the time they have to play. After the two-week layoff for the holidays, the volleyball team had four games in five days.
While they were only able to practice twice during the break, they hardly seemed to break stride and won all four to end the season with an 8-3 record.
All four wins were also 3-0 sweeps, with terrific contributions by the entire team. The excellent results are testimony to Coach Kristin Sweeney’s focus on solid foundational athletic skills, her willingness to accelerate and challenge this particular group of athletes, and the positive, supportive attitude between the girls.
Coach Sweeney pushed the enthusiastic group further and faster than any group in recent memory. Solid serving mechanics and specializing some positions will serve the 8th graders well when they join the high school team next fall.
Another hallmark of this season has been the strong support of family and friends in the stands. The JV team has been a steady, positive presence at the scoring table or as line judges for the home games. Siblings, parents, grandparents, cousins and teachers have also been present at home and away games.
Monday, Jan. 6’s game was against Mattituck Blue, a team that narrowly defeated the Islanders the first time they played. In the first set the team was down 19 to 24, on the very brink of losing. However, we sided out and Ella Fundora rallied 6 serves for a 26-24 win.
This sparked a lot of energy and excitement. During the second set Emily Shepherd showcased her now reliable serve, stringing 10 in a row and pushing the team to a 25-12 win. The final set score was 25-18, sealing the sweep.
Coach Sweeney remarked, “This really is a snapshot of their work ethic and passion. After a hard-fought loss earlier in the season, they were determined to come back stronger the next time, and they did. Even with the game being on a Monday after a 2-week vacation, they made it happen.”
I love to see Shelter Island volleyball alums in the gym, even if they are supporting the opponent. Julia Labrozzi Cantley, Class of 2017, coaches junior high and JV volleyball at Greenport, and brought her Greenport Purple squad to the Island on Wednesday, Jan. 8. The Islanders visited the Porters gym the following two days, with the same result: sweeping all matches 3-0.
Coach Sweeney kept stats on the efforts: “Wednesday through Friday we averaged 16 aces per game as a team and every player contributed with serves over, with at least one ace per athlete over the course of the three games.”
Alice Potter and Eliza McCarthy have each been improving their serving confidence, while Fundora and Elizabeth Weslek have really taken a leadership role as setters. They each get to passed balls quickly and set the ball up for their teammates or occasionally mix in sneaky tips or hits for points.
The team has consistently been generating offense. Michelle Martinez, Jayla Jones and Regina Kolmogorova-Weisenberg have thrived as hitters with a lot of great net play and successful kills.
The Friday, Jan. 10 match at Greenport was the culmination of the season, and a great showcase of the terrific progress of the team. Once again parents, siblings and friends filled the stands. Amira Lawrence, another Shelter Island Class of 2017 alum, and sister Sincere Smith were at the game as well, cheering on their sister Aniya who now plays for the Porters, while also feeling a bit of pride for the Blue and Gray. A 25-17, 25-9, 25-8 win was the exclamation point on the season.
Coach Sweeney had the last word. “I’m incredibly proud of this team — not just for the wins, but for the heart, determination, and teamwork they brought to every game. They’ve shown what happens when hard work meets passion, and this season is a testament to their commitment to one another and to the sport. It’s been an honor to watch them grow and succeed together.”