Carey-Jean Block leads Seaford girls to volleyball title
Carey-Jean Block of Seaford reacts after a point during the Nassau Class B girls volleyball final against North Shore at Farmingdale State College on Wednesday. Credit: James Escher
Seaford won first prize in Nassau Class B girls volleyball last fall, and now here was the team Wednesday night, standing on the Farmingdale State court, posing with the championship plaque again.
In a title match of Vikings vs. Vikings, top-seeded Seaford emerged with a 25-18, 25-11, 17-25, 25-17 win over No. 3 North Shore.
“It’s hard to repeat because there’s that pressure all season: ‘We have to do it again. We have to do it again,’ ” Seaford coach Marie Savage said. “But it’s a great accomplishment because we graduated nine seniors last year.”
Carey-Jean Block was a standout freshman on that team. Now she’s a standout sophomore. The outside hitter delivered 15 kills and 15 digs.
She was no stranger to this court. Her mom, Kellie Block, is the women’s volleyball coach at Farmingdale State.
“It makes me a little bit more comfortable here, knowing that I’ve been here before,” Carey-Jean said. “It’s almost like a second home.
“Our team really pulled through together. It’s about us as a team.”
Kailly Nocera added 15 assists and Natalie Masters had 12. Danielle McHugh contributed 11 digs and Ashley Parson and Sarah Lochner had six kills apiece. They all helped Seaford (11-5) advance to the Long Island championship match against Bayport-Blue Point, set for 12:30 p.m. Friday at Hauppauge.
“We don’t like to lose,” Block said. “I think we can really come out strong.”
Seaford built a 16-9 lead in the first set. North Shore had it down to four when Seaford went on a 6-1 run, opening it up to 23-14 on a kill by Lochner.
In the second set, Seaford constructed an 11-5 advantage. North Shore cut it down to three at 13-10. But Seaford posted the next four points, leading to a timeout by North Shore coach Tracy Iacovelli. Block soon delivered a kill to make it 21-11, leading to another North Shore timeout.
Block closed the set with back-to-back kills.
North Shore, which was led by the play of Laini Silverstein and Abby Maler, countered with a strong third set to stay in play.
“They showed a lot of heart, digging in,” Iacovelli said.
They showed more in the fourth set, pulling even at 15-15. But Seaford then showed its championship form, taking 10 of the final 12 points.
“They’re a great team,” Iacovelli said. “I think we were equally a great team, but we just got started slow.”
