Signature win for Long Beach

Three-time defending Nassau Class A girls’ volleyball champion Wantagh came to Long Beach on Sept. 27 undefeated against Conference A-I rivals again this season, but it didn’t leave that way.

The Lady Marines, in front of a packed gym that provided a playoff-like atmosphere, took down the Lady Warriors in three hard-fought sets: 25-18, 25-21, 25-22. Katherine Meyers (nine), Jackie Zappa (seven) and Krista Heidenfelder (six) combined for 22 kills, while setter Justine Smith handed out 27 assists and delivered four service aces. The result gave both teams a record of 4-1.

“We’ve been a successful program for a long time,” Long Beach coach Kerri Rehnback said. “We know we have a very good team and it was just a matter of proving it to everyone, including ourselves. We needed a win against a top-tier team.”

Wantagh, the No. 1 seed in Class A, had lost only one set in four previous conference matches. One of the keys, Rehnback said, for the Lady Marines was to get off to a strong start after losing the opening set against South Side, Bellmore-JFK and Hewlett. “We needed to come out and set the tone,” she said. “We wanted to be the ones pulling the wagon, not chasing it. 

“Wantagh isn’t a team you want to get into long rallies with because they can just wear you down,” Rehnback added. “We have a little more height and played well at the net, and we served really tough. Everyone did their jobs, and we kept them out of their element.”

Thrust into the main passer’s role midway through last season when an injury warranted a need, Smith, a junior, is developing into one of the top setters in Class A. “She’s getting very good at identifying where to get the ball,” Rehnback said. “Last year was a great experience for her. She’s more confident and comfortable now.”

Zeppa, a senior left-hander on the right side, is Long Beach’s go-to hitter and a consistent performer. “She’s a tall kid and usually is matched up against someone shorter,” Rehnback said. “Her hitting percentage is tremendous.”