Thursday, October 1, 2026
On paper, West Hempstead girls’ volleyball is having a balanced year. Exhibit A: the Rams have a 6-6 overall record. But if you talk to coach Jillian Sarro, they’re competing exceptionally, daring to go beyond breaking even.
For starters, the team brought back only a trio of returning varsity players, giving it an obstacle from the jump.
“We really needed to hunker down and make sure that the people that played JV learned the speed, the style, the defensive positions as a varsity player, and they really have come together and jived with their chemistry and understanding and coachability very nicely,” Sarro said. “That specific obstacle was something that other teams didn’t really need to face, learning certain things from scratch, so I’m pretty proud of their outcome so far and how they’ve progressed throughout the season.”
The proof is in the pudding. There’s outside hitters Anna Spatafora and Isabella Salimbene, alongside middle blocker Summy Tineo, all who Sarro says have been working towards reading plays on the court to become smarter and more efficient players.
“Not just hitting the ball for an attack but making sure they have a game plan, a placement, watching the plays, making sure they’re able to read the defense,” Sarro said.
Sarro also added that those three kids are extremely motivated characters off the court, so that adds fuel to an already support-filled team.“I have a really great group this year that truly wants to make each other better and they all are able to talk to each other about their strengths and weaknesses,” the coach said.
This much was evidence in West Hempstead’s latest win, a 3-1 triumph over Malverne Oct. 14. Going 20-25, 22-25, 25-22, 24-26, West Hempstead won a tight match with breathing room. Salimbene led the offense with 7 kills, a pair of assists, a dig and an ace. Spatafora shone just as brightly up front with 6 kills, an assist, and 3 service aces. Valerie Schreck helped set up her teammates for success with 25 assists up against the net. Defensively, the anchor was none other than Elizabeth Poirot with a team-leading 9 digs against Malverne.
She also cited that the joint effort of co-captains Poirot and Spatafora. Both have been great leaders and role models for the ensemble.
“They don’t just lead by their voice and the things that they say but by example, they take accountability if necessary, they truly are a great, positive light in teaching that younger generation of this team,” Sarro said, highlighting the lone freshman and sophomores who are learning the ropes on the fly.
Poirot is especially a leader given that she is the main defensive specialist, with Sarro highlighting that Poirot is crucial to the defense’s integrity.
“[The defense] relies a lot on her athleticism and reactions to the ball, so she’s a huge asset in our defense,” Sarro said.
With that, West Hempstead’s offense and defense have four more matches remaining.
