Whirlwind week as Shelter Island volleyball teams complete first third of season

Shelter Island volleyball faced a number of challenges the week of Sept. 15. It featured three matches in five days, coaches covering for one another due to illness or work conflicts, and athletes shifting into new roles. Out of it emerged a spirit of grittiness and resolve for the Islander volleyball squads.

We are about one-third of the way through the season. This year the leagues have shifted once again. In 2025 Shelter Island is in League VIII, which contains the five Class C and D teams — Shelter Island, Ross, Greenport/Southold, Port Jefferson and Pierson. Our schedule this year also features a mandatory crossover with the Class B schools in League VII — Mattituck, Babylon, Southampton, Center Moriches and Bayport-Blue Point. As always, Shelter Island is the smallest school.

JUNIOR VARSITY

Port Jefferson has a strong volleyball program with a large number of athletes, about 15 per squad. The vast majority are club players, and it shows in their speed and confidence. When the crowd of nearly 30 Royals entered our gym on Sept. 15, the Islanders looked at me in shock. However, I reminded them that only six players can be on the court at once. Plus, our athletes get far more playing time due to our small roster.

The JV squad had only seven players available, with Kylie Kuhr Leonard starting in her first match of the season. Nerves got the best of our players at the start, but the team set goals: Get to double digits in the first set, then score more in each consecutive set. Behind Elizabeth Weslek’s four aces, Emily Shepherd’s seven consecutive serves in the second set, and Regina Kolmogorova-Weisenberg’s aggressive offense, the team made a very favorable impression on the Port Jeff coach. The 25-10, 25-19, 25-21 loss showed the team’s willingness to dig deep and stay positive.

Against the Greenport/Southold Clippers, the JV showed their versatility. In the third set Coach Sweeney shifted the line-up, putting Kuhr Leonard in as setter, allowing her to get more comfortable with running the court. Ella Fundora, who specializes in setting, also showed she is an offensive threat, scoring on several tips and heads-up dumps. Maeve Springer’s serves and presence at the net added to the team’s strength. 

The team responded by scoring 10 aces by 5 different servers and taking the final set convincingly 25-14.

The JV team seems to specialize in exciting finishes. A week to the day of their “overtime” win in a set against the Pierson Whalers, they did it again, in even more dramatic fashion against Mattituck. 

Following a 2-1 loss to the Greenport/Southold Clippers, the JV team was down two players. Elizabeth Weslek and Regina Kolomogorova-Weisenberg are sidelined for the time being with injuries. The seven remaining teammates rose to the challenge of facing the traditionally strong Mattituck squad on Friday, Sept. 19. After a now characteristically slow start, they rallied. Makayla Cronin and Natalie Mamisashvili often switch out for one another. Cronin’s quick feet and passing ability buoys the team, while Mamisashvili’s growing willingness to take a swing on offense is beginning to pay dividends. Lily Brigham is working hard on reading the ball and adjusting her passing to a variety of spins and speeds.

In the third set the teams were neck-in-neck the entire time, until Mattituck pulled ahead 24-22, just one point from winning. However, after a great rally, Shelter Island won the point sending Kylie Kuhr Leonard to the service line. An ace and another point followed so the Islanders were up 25-24. But Mattituck fought back. The score was tied at 25-25, 26-26, 27-27, then we got consecutive points for the 29-27 win. The fans in the stands were rocking, and teammates on the bench were breathless with excitement.

Eliza McCarthy, who played on Shelter Island’s junior high team, is now attending school in Mattituck. It was great to see the joy of former teammates hugging and sharing conversations. With both the Tuckers and Islanders in blue uniforms, it was easy to imagine she was still on the Island roster.

VARSITY

The varsity also faced the same three opponents this past week.

Port Jefferson runs the fastest offense we’ve seen in years. Quick middle and shoot sets paired with combination plays make it tough for the defense to keep up. However, Sadie Green-Clark rose to the challenge and did a great job of adjusting her block to the blazing speed, identifying the active hitter and getting up quickly against the attack.

With Elliot Schack out for the day, Lexi Bartilucci and Mae Brigham handled setter duties. They did a great job adapting to the new serve receive patterns. This was Brigham’s first outing as a primary setter and she did a great job getting up on the block, then immediately transitioning to having hands. Lili Kuhr held down the back row, her confident passing popping up several of the Royals’ tough serves.

Lily Potter is a utility player. She can play outside and middle hitter. Against the tough Royals team, she got her first substantial playing time at the varsity level. She got a block and then won two service points in a row, in the pressure-filled last server of the game position. Her steady nerves and willingness to step up was terrific, and she continued in the middle hitter role for the next two matches.

Lauren Gibbs is a take-charge player. She is the most likely to swing aggressively to try and score a point. She also will jump in on broken plays to put the ball over. As the team continues to grow, this willingness to send a ball back over with velocity will be even more important.

Against Greenport on Sept. 17, we once again saw tough servers and hitters, including a back row attack. The Islanders are beginning to show mental toughness on serve receive, and defense continues to adjust. While we lost in three sets, the scores were respectable and we will match up more evenly against them in the second half of the season.

Our mid-season stretch features three weeks of facing the larger schools before we return to League VIII competition. Mattituck was the first of our Class C opponents, and they feature a large number of athletes and several tall, powerful hitters. Just as we adjusted to Port Jeff’s quick attacks, our defense started digging up the hits of the Tuckers. Miranda Marcello’s quick reflexes and willingness to go to the floor was inspiring. As the libero and defensive specialist, Quinn Sobejana is always in the hot seat. Her leadership on serve receive is essential.

Juliana Medina plays middle hitter. Her serving is aggressive and reliable, and during the Mattituck match she was also able to demonstrate her improved defense. As a setter Elliot Schack is also relied on for tough serves. Schack’s serving resulted in two aces against the Tuckers, while smart setter dumps also led to points.

With the celebration of Rosh Hashanah this week, we face only one opponent: Babylon here at home on Friday the 26th. JV starts at 5 p.m., with the varsity following. The team and coaches look forward to the chance to get in the gym to hone their skills before jumping back into the mid-season fray.