Alex Patsos, Gisele Trzaskalski key Connetquot girls volleyball to come back win in Suffolk AAA final
The Connetquot team reacts after defeating Bayshore at the Suffolk Class AAA volleyball large schools finals on Wednesday, November 5, 2025 in Bayshore. Credit: Dawn McCormick
Connetquot found itself in large deficits all match, but when its back was against the wall, Alex Patsos and Gisele Trzaskalski found a way to earn a county title.
Patsos had 19 kills and Trzaskalski had 17 as No. 2 Connetquot defeated host and top-seeded Bay Shore, 3-2 (18-25, 25-19, 25-27, 25-22, 15-9), in the Suffolk Class AAA girls volleyball final on Wednesday night.
“Being down lit a fire underneath us,” Patsos said. “We focused on trying to work our serves in and just cleaning up things on our side.”
Back-to-back aces from Trzaskalski helped Connetquot open the fifth set on a 4-0 run. Bay Shore pulled to within 8-7 after Haven Mills’ kill. Connetquot closed the match on a 7-2 run, with Leah White’s kill ending it.
Ella Vereb had six kills for Connetquot (19-1). Mills had 16 kills for Bay Shore (20-1).
Patsos came up big in the fourth for Connetquot, tallying eight kills and an ace. Connetquot’s biggest lead was a 12-7 advantage after Vereb’s kill. Bay Shore pulled to within one on five occasions, but Connetquot never relinquished the lead as Patsos’ kill and Mia Graziano’s ace closed the set.
“I think some of the girls look up to me to get things going,” Patsos said. “I have to pick up the overall energy and control what’s happening on our side.”
Bay Shore took a commanding 17-8 lead in the third after Georgia Samboy’s kill. Connetquot began to rally and tied it at 22 on Patsos’ kill. Seven straight errors followed between the two teams, with a net error by Connetquot giving the Marauders the 2-1 set advantage.
“We kind of took being down more personally,” Trzaskalski said. “We really had to dig deep and pull things out.”
Connetquot held a 15-9 lead in set two after Trzaskalski’s kill. Connetquot scored four of the set’s final five points, with Kara Ryden’s being the last.
“After losing the first set, it became who wants it more,” Trzaskalski said. “It was up to us to decide if we won or lost.”
Bay Shore took an early 11-3 lead in the first after back-to-back aces from Molly Larkin. Connetquot went on a 9-3 run to pull within two points after consecutive aces from Graziano. Bay Shore closed the set on an 8-3 run with Mills’ kill earning the final point.
Connetquot will face the Nassau Class AAA champion at 4 p.m. on November 14 at Hauppauge High School.
“I’m fortunate to have walked into a situation with a great culture in place and a high standard of excellence,” Connetquot’s first-year head coach Louis Melfi said.” When our backs were against the wall, we showed great resilience.”
Christopher Matias covers high school sports for Newsday after spending time in Athletic Facilities and Operation at St. John’s and in Sports Information at CUNY York college.
