Top 5 Nassau girls volleyball teams entering the playoffs
Clockwise, from left: Keira Mullaney, Dylan Katz and Alexandra Gregory. Credit: Dawn McCormick; Peter Frutkoff
With Nassau’s regular season coming to a close, the county championship chase begins.
Here are the top five teams heading into the playoffs.
1. Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK (14-0)
Coming off a county championship a year ago, Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK looks ready to defend its crown and may have a case for best team on Long Island. The Hawks finished off a second consecutive undefeated regular season with a Conference AAA-I title and take a 28-game winning streak against Nassau opponents into the playoffs.
The Hawks are the top seed in Class AAA. They've lost just two sets this season. They returned Newsday All-Long Island first team member Dylan Katz, as well as three key seniors in Jayden Axelrod, Emily Layton and Isabella Sallie.
2. South Side (11-1)
The reigning Class A champions are once again the No. 1 seed and have all the right pieces to repeat. The Cyclones won Conference A-I and opened the season with nine consecutive wins before their lone loss to North Shore.
Despite graduating All-Long Island first team member Abigail Magness and second-teamer Cate Cammalleri, the offense remains potent, powered by outside hitter Keira Mullaney and setter Amy Berenbroick. Maeve Britt anchors the defense, leading the team in digs.
3. Garden City (16-0)
The Trojans wrapped up an undefeated regular season as the Conference AA-I champions and are the top seed in Class AA. Garden City has already eclipsed its win total by nine games and has only played one five-set match this season.
Setter Giuliana Pamatat can do it all for the Trojans, finishing the regular season with over 500 assists, 80 aces and 70 kills. Outside hitter Alexandra Gregory makes an impact at the net, having notched over 200 kills, while her younger sister Teresa has over 170.
4. Massapequa (10-4)
Massapequa was one set away from sweeping the final and capturing a sixth straight county title last season. This year, under interim head coach Allie Ahearne, Massapequa has finished the regular season with an identical record and the No. 2 seed in Class AAA.
Senior setter Savanna Appleton leads the team in assists for the second straight year. Victoria O’Neill has been the main beneficiary of Appleton’s passing as she leads the team in kills. Keira Elfenbein and Emily DeSetto also provide Massapequa with power at the net.
5. Division (14-4)
The only team to take Garden City to five sets was the Blue Dragons, who are the No. 2 seed in Class A. Division, a relatively young group with just one senior, has swept 12 of its 14 wins.
Libero Evangelia Paterakis has tallied over 300 digs and 40 aces and is the program’s all-time leader in both categories. Miyah Mirelis is a factor in the middle, leading the team in blocks and kills. Analiah Delacruz has been a strong distributor, totaling 500 assists this year.
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.
