Malverne heads in right direction

It’s been a season of peaks and valleys for the Malverne girls’ volleyball team, but the competitiveness it has shown as the 2018 campaign progressed has left the players and coaching staff optimistic for the future.

The Lady Mules won their last three matches to finish 7-8, culminating with a four-set win over West Hempstead on Oct. 25. That record wasn’t good enough to qualify for the playoffs, but it was the team’s best mark since going 9-9 in 2015.

“I think this has been our most competitive season in the conference,” said third-year coach Danish Nadeem. “Every single match was competitive. We went out and competed for every single point. There’s no doubt that over the past couple of years, it’s been our best season.”

The season started slow for Malverne with a three-match losing streak, during which it failed to win a set over conference powerhouses Island Trees, Seaford and Wheatley. But the girls rallied to even their record with wins over Carle Place, Clarke and Locust Valley.

After alternating a loss and a win in the next two matches, the Lady Mules were riding high entering their home contest against Cold Spring Harbor on Oct. 8 and were poised for their first winning record of the season after taking the first two sets against the Lady Seahawks, but suddenly lost their focus and dropped the last three sets for a heartbreaking loss.

“That’s the game,” Nadeem said. “If we take that one, all of a sudden we’re right there for that fourth spot [in the standings]. That’s a team we’re very competitive with.”

That setback began a four-match losing streak that pretty much knocked Malverne out of playoff contention. But the team did show some fight despite that slump by winning the first game in three of those losses.

“It is encouraging because we’re playing teams that are pretty much established,” Nadeem said. “We’re up and coming and we really showed them and showed ourselves that we compete on that level.”

The West Hempstead finale also ended the high school volleyball careers of seniors Breyana Moore (122 kills), Ayeka Fibleuil (63 aces) and Alex Delligati (40 aces, 57 kills and 122 digs). But the Lady Mules have a strong set of juniors to build around for next season in Nicolette Conserve, who had 10 assists in Malverne’s win at Clarke on Oct. 17, Alanna Jacelon (101 digs, 30 kills), Emioluwa Abiola and Tiffany Prewitt (46 kills).

“She’s a player that I’m really looking forward to [seeing her] take the next step for next season filling in for Breyana,” Nadeem said of Prewitt. “I think Tiffany can step in and be just as good.”

Nadeem, who also coaches at the middle school, says the team can build off this season and compete for a playoff spot in the coming years.

“[Because we have a] pipeline of players who are focused and developing their skills, I think we’re heading in the right direction,” he said.