Oceanside returns to playoffs

The Oceanside girls' volleyball team has been a lot more competitive this year after a tough 2022 campaign and used its final matches to prepare for the postseason.

The Sailors were 4-8 entering the final week of the regular season and will compete in the playoffs for the second time in three seasons as the only AAA team in Conference 3. They won just six sets en route to a 1-13 mark last year while facing some of the upper-echelon teams in the county.

This year's schedule was a lot more manageable for Oceanside after the team faced programs such as Massapequa, Syosset, Long Beach, and Seaford among others last fall. The girls split the first six games of this season before falling into a 1-5 slump despite holding two sets to none leads in two of their last three matches against East Rockaway and Carey.

The Sailors swept both meetings with Bethpage by 3-0 scores, outlasted East Rockaway in five sets in the first matchup on Sept. 20, and beat Valley Stream North on Sept. 28 after taking the last two sets.

"Last year we had a younger lineup," Oceanside coach Rob Kiley said. "This year, we have a good group of seniors leading the team. The defense was definitely better [and] our setting has been better."

Sophomore outside hitter Kendall Quinnones emerged as a future star in her varsity debut and leads the team in kills. She had two 13-kill games this fall and another 12 in the first East Rockaway match.

"She was definitely a positive addition to the team," Kiley said. "She's younger and we're asking a lot of her playing as much as she's playing, but she hits the ball hard. She's able to change the momentum with one swing."

Junior outside hitter Abby Cox was another offensive threat with her kills and possesses a deceptive serve that was difficult for opponents to defend.

"She's got a wicked serve that drops and kind of dips at the end," Kiley said. "Even the best passers we play have a lot of trouble [with it]. She definitely has served more than anybody because she's always on that line."

Setting the offense up is junior Makayla Strong, who had 31 assists and 18 digs against Plainedge on Sept. 18 another 28 helpers two days later against East Rockaway. Senior outside hitter Sophie Nesturrick was solid on both ends of the court and gritty digs leader Sami Chaisson is the "quarterback on the back row " who "gets to every ball", said Kiley.

“Pure grit,” Kiley said of Chaisson. “She’s a fighter. She takes charge in a leadership role back there. We’re always happy when she’s passing because she’s amazing at it. She’s textbook and she’s great to have.”

Junior transfer Sidney Nguyen has displayed a strong court IQ in her first year with the program and is another solid defender with a “strong future,” said Kiley, who also praised junior Christina Vlahakis for her fiery temperament on the floor and never giving up on the ball and senior middle Nicole Walsh for her consistency on both the front and back lines.