Shelter Island wins 12th straight Suffolk Class D title
Shelter Island's Margaret Michalak, right, and teammates react as they close in on victory over Pierson during the Suffolk Class D girls volleyball final on Monday, Nov. 9, 2015, at Suffolk Community College. Credit: James Escher
Shelter Island had an ace in the hole.
The Indians won their 12th straight Suffolk Class D girls volleyball title Monday night at Brentwood's Suffolk Community College campus, defeating Pierson in straight sets on the strength of their serving.
No. 2 Pierson (4-5) had difficulties returning the ball against No. 1 Shelter Island (9-0), which tallied 18 aces. Coach Cindy Belt said that serves are a focal point of her practices.
"We work a lot on serves," she said. "Serving and serve receives, that starts the game. You can have all the firepower you want, but you need good passes to start."
From top to bottom, the Shelter Island girls started each point with a strong serve. Amira Lawrence, Kelly Colligan, Kenna McCarthy and Margaret Michalak started several rallies with blistering, well-placed serves, putting the pressure on Pierson.
Colligan, all smiles after another Class D title, was pleased with the effort.
"I think it was one of our best games serving -- if not the best," she said.
The ace-fest started early as McCarthy took the opening service and kept possession, including four aces, until Shelter Island led 9-1.
Fittingly, the Indians finished off a 25-9 first-set win with an ace by Lawrence, who then tallied four consecutive aces in the next set, which ended in a 25-5 win by Shelter Island.
Pierson took its first lead of the match in the third set at 2-1. The Whalers held a 4-3 lead before Michalak took over. She had four kills and two aces in the remainder of the set, leading to a 25-13 victory and a 3-0 victory in the match.
Belt's motto is "play well and have fun," and Lawrence said the Indians did just that.
"Our team did a really good job today," she said. "We communicated well and had fun."
Colligan, a senior, agreed, and she said that her place in Shelter Island's decade-plus run of championships probably won't hit her until later.
"I don't think I'm going to realize [the legacy] until I leave," she said. "My sister and my older friends have all been part of it. I really hope we can take it all the way this year and end on a bang."
Shelter Island, which hasn't made it to the state championships since 2010, still isn't a lock to advance to Glen Falls later in November. The Indians will play Haldane Tuesday in a regional semifinal.
