South Side remains competitive

Winners of two of the last three Nassau Class A girls’ volleyball championships, South Side didn’t return a single starter from last year’s title team but coach Cheryl Scalice is counting on the leadership of five seniors and the athleticism of its younger players to keep it competitive throughout 2015.

“Everyone has stepped on the floor and contributed,” Scalice said after the Lady Cyclones reached the semifinals of the Carle Place Tournament last Saturday thanks to an undefeated run in pool play. “I’m not sure what lineup we’re going to roll out every day,” she added. “Whether someone starts or not doesn’t dictate how much they’re going to play. We have depth and we’re still experimenting.”

In a rematch of last year’s county finals on Sept. 24, Wantagh defeated South Side (2-4 in Conference A-I) in four sets: 25-16, 20-25, 25-17, 25-23. “I thought it was a phenomenal match with lots of long rallies,” Scalice said. “Wantagh is ranked No. 1. To almost push them to five [sets] was something we can build on.”

The Lady Cyclones were playing their second straight match without the services of one of their senior captains, Laura McNally, who suffered a sprained ankle against Kennedy two weeks earlier. “She’s in a walking boot and hoping to get back this season,” Scalice said of the consistent middle hitter/blocker. “She does a lot for us.”

The offense is under the direction of junior setters Grace Feiner and Grace LaCava. They have 155 and 152 assists, respectively, and Scalice said they learned a lot working behind standout Sydney Gabriel last fall. “Both are club players and experienced setters,” Scalice said. “They’re versatile and smart, and doing a great job.”

Junior Kiersten Colvin, a transfer from Sacred Heart, is leading South Side in kills and blocks. She’s 5-foot-9, Scalice said, with a nice vertical leap. In her first action with the program, Colvin had 10 kills to help the Lady Cyclones outlast Lawrence in five sets. Another transfer, sophomore Stephanie Jackson is starting on the right side in the front row.

Senior Kate Keady, who provided a spark off the bench in last year’s county finals, is as versatile as anyone on the roster. “She plays consistently no matter what position,” Scalice said. “She’s all over the court and is one of our top servers.”

Also in the hitting department, seniors Kayla McQuillan and Alexandra Kosakoff give the Lady Cyclones some stability. McQuillan opened the campaign with 13 kills and 15 digs against Lawrence and ranks first on the team in serving. One of five juniors, Allison Mullooly (17 aces, 24 kills) rose to the occasion in the Herricks Tournament earlier last month and was named MVP as South Side emerged victorious.

Defensively, Scalice counts on senior Bridget Leake and junior Kayla O’Rourke to get the job done. O’Rourke leads the team in digs with 160.

The second half of the conference schedule gets under way on Oct. 6 when South Side hosts Lawrence at 4:30 p.m.