Racanelli, Jensen lead Bay Shore boys volleyball win
Bay Shore's Matthew Racanelli #6, returns a volley for a point. (Sept. 8, 2010) Credit: George A. Faella
If the first game was a "Shore" thing, the next two were anything but.
Bay Shore's retooled boys volleyball team was tested in its first match of the season but emerged to post a 25-15, 27-25, 25-22 home win over Connetquot. Bay Shore coasted to victory in Game 1 before Connetquot made things difficult.
"They had some runs, and then we kind of just waited till the end and picked it back up and were able to pull it out," said outside hitter Matthew Racanelli, who had seven kills and two aces.
After losing in the first round of the 2009 playoffs, Bay Shore lost two of its top hitters to graduation. As this season began, the team needed to check off two areas of concern if it wanted to get back to the postseason.
No. 1 was filling those hitting holes, and the answer turned out to be Racanelli and Peter Jensen, who had eight kills against Connetquot.
"Both of those guys, we're going to count on for the rest of the season," coach Andres Borromeo said. "They're the best hitters on the team, and hopefully they can carry us to the postseason."
No. 2 was developing a "never-say-die" mentality. And it's safe to say the seeds of that were present Wednesday as the team fought back to take late leads in the final two games.
"That's how we try to play all year," Racanelli said. "Try to really play good defense, don't let balls drop and just stay in every point."
Said Jensen: "I feel like we mesh a lot better. The setters are really clicking with the middles and the sides, and we're learning to take advantage of mistakes."
In Games 2 and 3 there were six lead changes and 13 ties as Connetquot proved formidable. Andrew Leverton had 23 assists and Casey Guercio added eight kills and two blocks for the Thunderbirds.
Connetquot used a 7-2 run to take a 22-17 lead in Game 2 and was at game point for four consecutive serves. But Bay Shore battled back to tie the score at 24 and 25 before winning the last two points.
An out-of-bounds serve from Bay Shore allowed Connetquot to tie the score at 16 in Game 3, but the Marauders went on a 4-0 run to reclaim the lead. Connetquot got to within a 23-22 deficit, but that was as close as it would come.
After all, Wednesday was a Shore thing.
