2007 All-Long Island Girls Volleyball

BY CHRIS MASCARO | chris.mascaro@newsday.com
December 16, 2007
A look at Long Island's best girls volleyball players from the 2007 season.

JANINE ALDRIDGE
Outside Hitter, Massapequa, Sr.

LI Player of the Year. Winning the state championship was a fitting way to end Aldridge's career. The two-time All-Long Island player and 2007 Nassau Class AA MVP ended her run at Massapequa with 929 kills and 818 digs. Massapequa won county titles in each of her four years on varsity, but didn't make it to the state tournament until this season. She had a team-high 25 kills in the state finals.

SAMANTHA ROSARIO
Outside Hitter, Lindenhurst, Jr.

Suffolk Player of the Year. Rosario, the League I Player of the Year and All-County performer in Suffolk, was the leader on a youthful Lindenhurst team that won its second league title in as many years. The three-year starter averaged 25 kills and seven digs in carrying the Bulldogs to the Suffolk Class AA semifinals.

KELLEY COLLINS
Libero, Massapequa, Sr.

After two seasons as an outside hitter, Collins made a successful move to libero, where she totaled 316 digs on the season (15 per match), and a dig percentage of .950 in helping Massapequa win the Class AA state title.

MELINDA DIGIOVANNA
Outside Hitter, West Hempstead, Sr.

A two-time All-County selection in Nassau, DiGiovanna is as smart on the court as she is talented. She led West Hempstead in scoring this year, and carried the club to the Nassau Class A final, where it pushed Garden City to five sets. In a first-round win over Wantagh, DiGiovanna had 21 kills and 15 digs.

LEAH FILONUK
Outside Hitter, Harborfields, Sr.

The two-time All-Long Island performer recorded 486 kills and 294 digs on the season, and had 1,854 and 1,108, respectively, in her four-year career. Filonuk won two county titles with Harborfields and the Long Island crown last season. She was also named Suffolk's Outstanding Senior.

BIANCA HERNANDEZ
Libero, Westhampton, Sr.

This fiery player captained her team to the state tournament, upsetting two teams in the Suffolk Class A tournament along the way. Hernandez, a three-time League VI Defensive Player of the Year, two-time All-County selection and Suffolk Class A Tournament MVP, made just three reception errors all season.

MALLAIGH MCGINLEY
Middle Hitter, St. Anthony's, Sr.

Though McGinley is generally not the tallest player on the court, she terrorizes opponents at the net. This season she averaged 10 blocks per game in earning Catholic League Player of the Year honors. She helped St. Anthony's reach the Catholic Class AA state semifinals each of her three seasons and served as a captain this season.

JACKIE MCKENNA
Middle Blocker, Glenn, Jr.

This 6-2 middle blocker from Glenn, has made the Class B state tournament in each of her four years, winning three titles, including this season's crown. For the season, McKenna had 518 kills, 87 blocks, 65 aces and a hitting percentage above .600.

ANGELICA NICALEK
Middle Hitter, Hewlett, Sr.

Though Hewlett finished the regular season just 6-10, it advanced to the Nassau Class A semifinals on the back of Nicalek, a two-time All-County player who amassed 300 kills on the season. A quiet leader, the Hewlett captain led her club in every statistical category.

KAITLYN OLSEN
Middle Hitter, Garden City, Sr.

Olsen, the Nassau Class A MVP, is a menace at the net. She not only racks up kills (310 for the season), but also blocks, as she tallied an astounding 102 this year. She's not too shabby in the back row, either, as she recorded 51 aces and a .940 serve percentage.

LAUREN REES
Outside Hitter, Connetquot, Jr.

An Indiana native, Rees transferred into Connetquot before this year, and was quite a pleasant surprise for coach Justin Hertz. The 5-10 junior led the team to a 20-1 record and the Suffolk Class AA finals. She had 257 kills, 46 aces and 185 digs for the season, and was named League I Player of the Year.

SHONA ST. ANGELO
Setter, Eastport-South Manor, Sr.

St. Angelo captained Eastport-South Manor to the Suffolk Class A final and a 15-3 record this season. In two playoff victories, she had a combined 68 assists, including a career-high assists in a 3-2 win over Class AA champion Ward Melville in a non-league match on Sept. 20.

EMILY SYERS
Setter, East Meadow, Sr.

Syers was a versatile player for East Meadow, providing the team with 54 kills, 212 assists, 34 aces and 137 digs. Always hustling, the All-County selection led her team to the Nassau Class AA final.

Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc.

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