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A Few Clouds Kennedy falls short of repeat
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Stephanie Bauman goes up for a spike.
Jeff Wilson/Herald
Kennedy’s girls’ volleyball season came to a close after it dropped the final three sets to Wantagh in the Nassau County Class A final on Nov. 12 at C.W. Post, but the loss could not detract from a successful season that saw the Lady Cougars rebound after dropping their first four matches.
“We started off the season 0-4, it looked like we weren’t even going to get out of the first round of the playoffs but the girls decided to stay together, turn it around and that is what they did,” Kennedy coach Allan Ma said after the 20-25, 25-14, 25-22 and 25-19 loss. “I’m proud of them for fighting.”
The county title for Wantagh advanced the Lady Warriors to the Long Island championship where they dropped a five-set thriller to East Hampton last Saturday.
“Hats off to the Wantagh team for playing an outstanding match,” Ma said.
Kennedy defeated Wantagh in last year’s Nassau Class A final but the top-seeded Lady Warriors came out on top this time around despite dropping the opening set. Coming into the final, the second-seeded Lady Cougars (9-8) had won seven of eight matches. “At practice nobody worked harder than us,” Ma said. “I can’t ask for anything more.”
One challenge Kennedy overcame in 2009 was replacing six seniors from the championship team but as the season progressed the Lady Cougars formed solid cohesion on and off the court. “It took time to build chemistry but the girls kept working at it,” Ma said.
One of the key Kennedy seniors who took on a major leadership role in encouraging her teammates was libero Katie Sheehan, who dug out numerous balls during the county title match and throughout the year. “She’s been working hard playing varsity for the last three years,” said Coach Ma of Sheehan, who is looking to play volleyball in college. “She had a very good game.”
Other Kennedy players who stepped up to make big plays against Wantagh and throughout the year included captain Michelle Eichler, Pam Langro, Stephanie Bauman, Heather Hulkower, Sam Sagendorph and Samantha Malis. “They fought hard all the way,” Ma said.
Despite losing key seniors like Sheehan, Coach Ma is optimistic about his team heading into 2010 if the returning players continue the work ethic they displayed this season. “I told the girls it is what they are going to do in the offseason that counts right now if they want to come back here,” he said of trying to return to the finals next season. “A lot of people counted them out but they were here today and I am proud of them.”
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