Haven Mills' 30 kills help Bay Shore stay undefeated in girls volleyball
Bay Shore's Haven Mills against Sachem East on Wednesday. Credit: Bob Sorensen
Bay Shore was close to breaking through over the first two sets but found itself facing its first loss of the season.
Haven Mills started the third set with a perfectly placed kill and put the Marauders on the hunt for a comeback.
Mills had 30 kills and Bay Shore completed its comeback, defeating host Sachem East 3-2 (23-25, 22-25, 25-16, 26-24, 15-9), in Suffolk I girls volleyball on Wednesday afternoon.
Emily May had 56 assists, Shannon Smith had 16 kills and Kelsie Kennedy had 25 digs for Bay Shore.
Mills’ kill tied the fifth set at nine apiece and began a run of seven straight points to lead Bay Shore to victory. Smith picked up three kills during the run, including the final point.
“We all really wanted this win,” Smith said. “They reverse swept us in the playoffs last year, so this was our chance to do it to them.”
With Sachem East leading 24-23 in the fourth set, Molly Larkin served a ball for Bay Shore that appeared to be heading out, but it was ruled to be touched, giving Larkin an ace and keeping Bay Shore in the match. Mills followed with back-to-back kills to force a fifth set.
“I was scared for a second, thinking the ball was out,” Mills said. “Then I saw the way the libero jumped and pulled her hands back and figured she had to have touched it.”
Bay Shore (10-0) built an 18-13 lead in the third set after Mills’ ace. The Marauders ended the set on a 9-3 run, with back-to-back kills by Smith and Mills ending it.
“It was like the switch flipped and we went from individuals to playing as one,” Mills said. “Communication picked up and the energy spread through our sideline.”
Sachem East (8-3) took a 21-15 lead in the second set, but Bay Shore used a 5-0 run with three kills from Mills and two aces from Kennedy to cut the deficit. Bridget Hansen picked up a kill for Sachem East to end the run.
Hansen had three kills and an ace in the second set and Gabriella Rice had two kills and a block for Sachem East.
Sachem East tied the first set at 22 and scored three of the next four points as Hailey Edler ended it with a block.
“I think we had to improve our focus. We had to put each other in place and realize we needed to pick up our play,” Kennedy said. “We got our energy and focus up in the third set and kept the momentum going.”
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.
