Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Last season, the Long Beach girls volleyball team went 7-7 and reached the second round of the Nassau Class AA playoffs before it was knocked off by Garden City.
This season, under first-year coach Jaden Garelle, the Marines are playing in Conference AA 3 and riding a six-match win streak has them off to a 6-2 start including a 3-1 victory over previously unbeaten Bethpage Oct. 8.
Long Beach has adapted the motto of “RISE” which stands for respect, integrity, selflessness, and excellence.
“The girls have been really taking that and running with it,” Garelle said.
An assistant coach for the Long Beach boys volleyball team the last two seasons, Garelle was a senior for South Side when they reached the states in 2019 and finished third. Her assistant coach is Julia Meyers, a former Long Beach player who was part of the Marines’ 2018 state championship team.
This is a coaching staff that knows how to win.
“Knowing that feeling of success is what drives all of us to have our kids succeed as well,” Garelle said.
The Marines are led by an outstanding trio of senior captains.
Outside hitter Samantha Cox, committed to Division 3 St. Lawrence, has 87 kills, 62 digs and a team-leading 26 aces.
“She really is one of the backbones of our team,” Garelle said.
The “quarterback” of the Marines is setter Avery Graziosi. She leads the team with 218 assists and has also contributed 55 digs.
“She does such an amazing job at mixing up our offense getting every single player involved,” Garelle said.
Rounding out the trifecta of captains is middle blocker May Karasin, a defensive machine and a wall at the net with 21 blocks and 17 kills.
The Marines also have what they call their “secret weapon” in junior right- side hitter Katrina Dadds. She is having a great season with 86 digs and 83 kills.
“She can defend the court and really put the ball wherever we need her to,” Garelle said.
Junior Gianna Olshwitz is the Marines’ libero, the player in charge of the back row defense, and she has recorded 138 digs.
“She will do anything to go for the ball,” Garelle said. “She’ll put her body on the line and it’s awesome.”
Other key contributors for Long Beach include junior outside hitter Marissa Curtis, junior middle blocker Emerson Earley, and sophomore defense specialist Sara Wisniewski, who ran into the bleachers to save a ball in the win over Bethpage.
“She really does defend that back row,” Garelle said. “She will chase down any ball.”
Long Beach has already set a high bar. The expectation is it can go deep into the playoffs.
“I really do believe that this team has great potential to go as far as they want to,” Garelle said. “They are very determined and they have grit and they have that fire.”
And that fire continues to rise in Long Beach.
