Lynbrook nets 10th victory

Lynbrook's Georgia Krendel delivered a smash during last Friday's three-game sweep of East Rockaway.

Jeff Wilson/Herald

Lynbrook made a memorable run to the Nassau County Class B title game last year, but came up a little short, losing to Seaford in four sets. Rather than wasting tears on what might have been, the Lady Owls were back with vengeance when the 2014 volleyball season began.

The results, thus far, have been terrific. After Lynbrook’s sweep of East Rockaway, last Friday afternoon, the Lady Owls are 10-1 in Conference BC-1. The win was Lynbrook’s eighth three-set sweep. Lara LoIacono had eight kills to lead the Lady Owls.

With the win, Lynbrook remained in second place, a game behind undefeated Mineola. The Lady Mustangs won a five-set thriller, 25-27, 25-21, 25-13, 20-25, 26-24, when the teams met in September. The Lady Owls will look to exact a little revenge when they travel to Mineola on Oct. 20.

First-year head coach Stewart Ratzken said he loves the makeup of his team. “Balanced is probably the best word to use to describe the team,” Ratzken said. “We have a lot of players who can play multiple positions. There’s a lot of talent on the team, so it’s not always easy to find the right mix on the court. It’s a good problem for a coach to have.”

While the Lady Owls don’t have a go-to girl, per se, junior libero Stephanie Milillo has been outstanding. Ratzken lauds Milillo’s technique, ball control, and positive attitude, and refers to her as a player that needs to be on the court at all times. Milillo, who leads the team in service points, had 16 digs Lynbrook’s sweep of Seaford. 

Sophomore Rebecca Shear is a versatile performer who Ratzken can play at outside hitter, opposite, or setter. She has very strong vertical jumping ability, and a high ace percentage on serves. Shear had 24 assists in the sweep of Seaford. Senior Emma Carey has also racked up a nice amount of assists for Lynbrook. 

LoIacona, a junior outside hitter, is a beast at the net. Her 14 kills were key in a four-set win over Floral Park. Junior Morgan Smithwick is a technically sound outside hitter who can play anywhere on the court. Senior Bridget Kelly, who had 11 kills against Floral Park, is the team’s most improved player.