Shelter Island volleyball season is back

The preseason is over. Let the playing begin! 

After two weeks of practices, the Shelter Island volleyball team had a chance to put their skills into action. At 5:40 a.m., on Saturday, Sept. 6, a group of 12 athletes, 8 varsity and 4 JV, boarded the South Ferry.

They were greeted by cross country coach Toby Green, no stranger to early ferry rides to athletic meets. We were bound for North Haven to meet a bus already loaded with the East Hampton varsity team. The Bonackers and Islanders were headed to the Center Moriches tournament.

Normally the team would have had a couple of scrimmages or non-league matches before a tournament, but the schedule was a bit different this year. The school budget did not pass the first time, leading to cuts, including the athletic budget. That meant there was no money for those early season contests, so the team was going in to the tournament untested. 

However, the no-pressure, multiple-game structure of a tournament is a great time to see what players can do. As is traditional, I had six different lineups for the first six games in pool play.

While this sometimes induces a steep learning curve, as athletes learn to play next to one another, it gives me a chance to see how the younger players respond to an opportunity to play at a higher level, test the versatility of the more experienced athletes, and see what leadership emerges on the court.

Once we were in the playoffs, the more traditional lineup was used, and we ended the day on a high note, playing well against Hampton Bays.

Despite being tired from the early wake-up call and hours of playing, watching other teams play and eating “energy bites” supplied by the coach made it a memorable day to kick off the year. As the volleyball squads move into the regular season, it will be fun to see how we grow and mature. 

A quick peek at the Fall 2025 volleyball program: The team has 19 athletes split between two squads.

Six seniors head up varsity: Mae Brigham, Lauren Gibbs, Lili Kuhr, Miranda Marcello, El Schack and Quinn Sobejana. Both Sobejana and Kuhr shine on defense, popping up serves and hard-driven hits. Schack is a setter, chasing down passes and putting up balls for the hitters.

Brigham is one of the team’s best blockers and reliable back-up hands if Schack can’t get to a ball. Marcello and Gibbs love to hit, and when our passes and sets are clicking it is really fun to see the power they bring to the offense.

Two juniors, Sadie Green-Clark and Juliana Medina, sport strong serves and positive attitudes, arriving at practices early and showing an enthusiasm to increase their skills. Both already have some varsity experience under their belt due to the illness- and injury-filled 2024 season, during which I relied on junior varsity Coach Kristin Sweeney’s more experienced members to fill in the gaps.

The junior varsity currently has 11 girls on the roster, although it’s likely that a few will also see time on the varsity court as the season progresses. 

Sophomores Lexi Bartilucci, Lily Brigham, Makayla Cronin, Kylie Kuhr Leonard, Natalie Mamisashvili, Lily Potter, and Maeve Springer bring their experience to the squad. Kuhr Leonard is speedy, with good hands. Bartilucci also has the ability to run the offense, and her court sense is great to see. Brigham is a defensive specialist, roaming the back row to pass balls. Cronin, Mamisashvili, Potter and Springer are all versatile hitters, allowing Coach Sweeney to run different rotations.

First-year players Elizabeth Weslek, Ella Fundora, Emily Shepherd and Regina Kolmogorova-Weisenberg have moved up from the successful junior high program. All already have reliable serves. Weslek and Fundora are natural setters, quickly getting to balls to run the offense. Shepherd and Kolmogorova-Weisenberg love to be in the middle, hitting and blocking. 

Coach Sweeney is impressed with how quickly the talents of these players are meshing and is looking forward to making great strides with the younger squad. 

In addition to the athletes, senior Rosie Hanley will be the team manager, assisting at games with stats collection and scorekeeping duties.

There are not just volleyball players on the courts, however, there are several dual athletes. Potter is on the cross-country team, often literally running from one practice to the next. Four others are also golfers: Mae and Lily Brigham, Makayla Cronin and Maeve Springer spend their early after-school hours at Gardiner’s Bay Country Club, then trade in their golf clubs for knee pads. These hard-working student-athletes are inspiring to coach. 

The regular season league competition started on Sept. 8. By press time, the JV team will have traveled to Our Savior New America in Centereach, and varsity will have played the Ross School. Both teams will face the Pierson Whalers on Friday, Sept. 12 in Sag Harbor. 

Monday, Sept. 15 will be the home opener against the powerful Port Jefferson Royals, followed by Wednesday, Sept. 17’s match-up against the Greenport/Southold Clippers.

We love fans in the stands, come and watch your Islanders!