Oyster Bay repeats as county champ

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For a second straight season, Oyster Bay prevailed over East Rockaway in the Nassau Class C girls’ volleyball championship match.

The Lady Baymen took down the top-seeded Rocks Monday night at Farmingdale State College in straight sets, 25-20, 25-23, 25-17, behind senior Katherine Jennette’s 12 kills, eighth-grader Sophia Pavlovic’s 18 assists, and senior Faith Lindgren’s 18 digs.

“The girls played great and it was a total team effort,” Oyster Bay coach Jen Iles said. “We didn’t play East Rockaway during the regular season like we did last year when we went five sets in the finals, but we know they’re always gritty and they’re going to get the ball back to our side.”

Oyster Bay (7-8) advanced to play Port Jefferson in the Long Island Class C championship in a state subregional matchup at Hauppauge High School on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Mattituck topped Oyster Bay in last fall’s LIC. East Rockaway finished 4-11.

“We were out of sync and Oyster Bay played well,” East Rockaway coach Ksenia Brito said. “We had two weeks off between matches, but I’m not sure if that had anything to do with it or not. Each of our girls had strong moments, but Oyster Bay built a huge lead each set and we just didn’t create enough points.”

The Rocks were led this fall by senior captains Julia Walsh and Julia Passanisi. Both thrived as Brito tweaked the offense to a 6-2 scheme, allowing Walsh to contribute more as a hitter. Passanisi moved from middle hitter to the outside. “For whatever reasons, we didn’t execute to our potential,” Brito said. “Oyster Bay is a well-coached team and it’s a friendly rivalry.”

After winning it all last season, the Lady Baymen had an influx of youth and peaked down the stretch, Iles said. Pavlovic was one of three eighth-graders to crack the starting lineup back in September. Outside hitter Nicole Gatti had five kills against East Rockaway, and Sabrina Eisner was her usual steady self on the right side, Iles said.

Gatti, who earned All-Conference honors, ranks second on the team in kills behind Jennette. “Katherine is an excellent hitter and server who never gets too high or too low out there,” Iles said of Jennette, an All-County outside hitter. “She’s our go-to.”

Lingen has thrived as Oyster Bay’s defensive standout in her first season as a starter and leads the team in digs, while seniors Ryleigh Greene and Themie Voumvourakis form a solid tandem in the middle.

Second-seeded Oyster Bay swept No. 3 Carle Place in the county semifinals Nov. 3. Jennette had 13 kills, seven digs and five aces, Gatti seven kills and six digs, Pavlovich 19 assists, and Eisner eight digs and five aces.