Viki Harkin, Mattituck rise above East Rockaway to win LI C girls volleyball title
Viki Harkin #2 of Mattituck reacts after her team's 3-0 win over East Rockaway in the girls volleyball Class C Long Island Championship at Farmingdale State College on Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018. Credit: James Escher
The Mattituck girls volleyball team has had issues this season putting teams away. Two-set leads have evaporated more than the Tuckers would like, turning conceivably easy wins into difficult ones.
The Tuckers didn’t let that happen Sunday.
Viki Harkin rose above the defense and delivered a mighty finishing blow, clinching the Long Island Class C championship over East Rockaway, 25-14, 25-22, 25-23, at Farmingdale State.
As a result of the Tuckers’ first L.I. title since 2016, they’ll play in the state semifinals at the Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls next weekend.
“Their energy, at times, was definitely higher than ours,” Harkin, who had 16 kills and three aces, said. “They had some good runs when they’d get a couple serves on us, but I think overall, we played our hardest, and I think that’s how we clinched it.”
With two sets under their belts against Pierson/Bridgehampton in the county championship, the Tuckers let the Whalers back into the match. Mattituck (16-2) prevailed in the fifth set.
Coach Frank Massa tried to stress that winning two sets doesn’t clinch the match and that his players still need to show a sense of urgency. So, even when Brooke DeGuilio (18 assists, four kills) kept East Rockaway (13-3) within striking distance, Mattituck didn’t let up.
“If you’re not playing your best, they’re going to take advantage," Massa said.
Libero Jordan Osler sparked several rallies with her defense, and Miranda Hedges (eight assists) and Ashley Young (six) orchestrated the offense. Jillian Gaffga and Charlotte Keil made their presence felt at the net.
Massa said his team could have played a cleaner game, particularly on offense. He took partial blame for how many times his team opted not to swing, crediting the strength of his defense as a fallback.
One player who always has the green light to swing is Harkin. She can turn even the worst of sets into a point because of her ability to elevate.
“Because she can get up so high,” Massa said, “the margin of error on the set could be greater with her, so, she’ll go up and take a swing, and I don’t care if she swings at everything.”
