‘Future Stars and Last Hurrahs’: Volleyball team wraps season

Suddenly it is the end of October and dinner can be eaten at the normal time. With Halloween upon us, Shelter Island volleyball’s season has come to an end. The leaves are at peak color, players are beginning to think about the upcoming basketball or cheer season, and seniors are ramping up their college applications.

Monday, Oct. 20 was the final match of the year. The journey was short, just a ferry ride and a couple of blocks down the road to Greenport High School. As is traditional, I made cookies in the shape of a volleyball with each player’s name and number on them. It gives me a chance to think about and appreciate what each player has brought to the team this season. 

Watching the junior varsity team continuing to make strides on individual skills and team concepts right up through the last game is great to see. In the first set Ella Fundora unleashed a great, fast float serve, and Maeve Springer impressed with her tough serve as well. Not to be outdone, Natalie Mamisashvili scored an ace and even tried a jump serve for the first time in a game. 

The team was really making great decisions during some long and tough rallies. It is so exciting to see how much more mature the team has become over the past two months. Elizabeth Weslek’s all-out defense helped pop up the ball, and she confidently called to be set as well. 

The Islanders got out to a 5-point lead, but they hit a little skid as Greenport ramped up their offense. Despite Kylie Kuhr Leonard’s heads-up swings, the Clippers were able to come back to take the set. 

Emily Shepherd’s nice play at the net helped stymie the Greenport attack at the start of the second set. Nice passing from Regina Kolmogorova-Weisenberg, Lily Brigham and Makayla Cronin helped generate offense, but Greenport was tenacious on defense, and the ball kept coming back.

One of the fun things to see was how ready the team was to generate offense. Fundora was alert and got a kill on an overpass. In the third set she set the ball up to Springer who got a nice swing on the second contact as Coach Sweeney called out “on two!” This caught the Clippers a bit flat-footed. Springer’s smile as the team shouted out their approval was great to see.

In the end, Greenport took the match, but it was great to see the delight on the Islanders’ faces as they celebrated the growth they experienced over the season. 

VARSITY

The end of the season is always bittersweet. There is no sugarcoating that 2025 was a tough season. The injury and illnesses of last year did abate somewhat, but we still had athletes who had to miss practices and matches. We competed with many teams, but were never able to get those final points to get the “W.” Instead of match victories, it was a season of little wins. 

One thing we definitely improved upon was being adaptable. We have several athletes who can play different roles depending on the players available and the game situation. In the first set against the Porters, we used the lineup that had been most successful for us recently. Lauren Gibbs scored 2 aces in that first set, and Sadie Green-Clark had a nice tip for a point, but a slow start was too much to overcome. Greenport grabbed a 25-11 first set win. 

In the second set we switched things up, with Lily Potter coming in at middle and Lili Kuhr playing defense in the back row. Potter showed her nice improvement in skill as she covered the block, popping up a GPO tip. Miranda Marcello’s serve was on fire this set, scoring 3 aces. Kuhr also showcased her serve, with 3 points in a row. Gibbs added a nice block. 

We got out to an early 6-point lead, but despite Mae Brigham’s nice blocking presence and Ell Schack’s hustle as a setter, Greenport crept back in. Things were all tied up at 22, but ill-timed errors by the Islanders and a tough server allowed Greenport to squeak out a very narrow 25-23 win.

The final set’s lineup was what I dubbed “Future Stars and Last Hurrahs.” The sophomore and junior “Future Stars” have all worked hard this season to improve their skills. These four had the best practice attendance and were often in the gym early to be sure that precious training time wasn’t wasted. They also were the most likely to stay late to be sure that equipment was put away. This work ethic translated into a noticeable increase of skills and volleyball IQ. 

The youngsters started the third set, supported by Mae Brigham and Ell Schack. Juliana Medina has earned lots of court time this season, and her all-round play has been a bright light. Lexi Bartilucci has stepped into the demanding setter spot, and her much improved serving and excellent ability to read the ball signals a nice jumpstart to next season.

The younger team played for the first half of the set, then the remaining seniors had their chance to make a statement and finish out the season. Quinn Sobejana made an impact with her trademark rolling defensive moves and the Islanders made a nice 4-point run at the end of the set. 

Following the customary post-match handshakes, the team gathered in the accessory gym for a final team photo. The seniors had a chance to share favorite memories, while the juniors and sophomores mused about what they are looking forward to next season. 

It is always hard to wrap up a season, but I am proud of how this team kept showing up, even after hard losses. 

I’ve heard it said that “Each step counts, even the tough ones.” This team has been resilient and I am proud of the progress each athlete has made.

I wish the best of luck to the seniors as they move on to the winter season and continue to plan for their futures. I look forward to seeing the younger players back in the gym and building on their gritty effort this season.

Thanks for the season, Islanders!