Marked improvement for VSS

The thrill of competition is something that all sports fans alike will never get tired of. For Valley Stream South’s boys volleyball team, Conference 2B features a strong field that makes for every match to always be a constant grind.

Four of the six teams in 2B finished the regular season with a winning record, including the Falcons, who finished 11-6 overall after going 7-12 last fall.

“We had some top kids coming back to the team,” coach Rich Hess said. “The experience that they had last year was paramount to this year's success.”

After a 3-3 start through six matches, Valley Stream South went on to win its next eight matches. Despite this dominant stretch by the Falcons, they still had to fight and claw daily to come out on top.

“The quality of opponent that we play everyday is a battle,” Hess said. “Every game has been a battle for us. Even if we’ve won the contest three sets to one, they were highly contested.”

A driving force for Valley Stream South has been senior captain Jonathan Matthews, who returned as a First Team All-Long Island selection. Matthews finished the regular season leading Nassau County with 469 kills, averaged just under 28 kills per match and was named the Conference’s Most Outstanding Player.

“He improved on every aspect of the game,” Hess said. “There is no answer to stop him. Teams have a tough time defending him.”

The Falcons are also led by senior captain Brandon Yeh, a premiere set-up man who led 2B in assists with 542, third most in Nassau. Along with Matthews, Yeh was named an All-County selection.

“Brandon is very athletic and has very soft hands,” Hess said. “It all starts with the pass. He has the skill to take a not so good pass and turn it into a positive.”

First-year player Dillon Wallace has fit right in, particularly on defense as his 68 regular season blocks led the Falcons. The middle blocking junior was named All-Conference.

While players like Matthews, Yeh, and Wallace have gotten plenty of attention throughout the regular season, others have also contributed by playing their roles effectively. Seniors Ethan Montero and Robert Munafo are prime examples of this with their ability to play multiple positions when needed.

“His (Ethan) versatility has helped the team tremendously,” Hess said. “I’ve always told him (Robert) ‘Listen, sometimes your best ability is your availability.’ Guys have stepped up when they’ve been put into different spots on the floor.”

The Falcons have set the tone to begin their postseason run, defeating Bethpage 3-1 last Saturday. Junior Luke Lopez had seven serving aces in the victory and senior Jake Smyth was a perfect 23/23 on his serves.

Valley Stream South will continue its playoff journey on Wednesday, after press time, when the club hits the road to play Calhoun and look to get contributions from the entire roster.

“Our team mantra is ‘no decoration,’” Hess said. “Because we only have 10 people on the team, they all play and contribute.”