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Girls' Varsity Volleyball Team Roars Back!
Bellmore JFK (9-1) entered the match on the heels of the first-place Trojans (10-0) and they made it quite clear that they were looking to upset the defending Conference Champions. Things began slowly for GC due to a late arrival caused by busing and traffic delays. We had a limited pre-game warm-up, which allowed Bellmore JFK to look and play confidently as they edged GC in a closely contested Game 1, 25-23. At the start of Game 2, the Bellmore players were as charged as their fans, which included their ENTIRE FOOTBALL TEAM, ALONG WITH CHEERLEADERS! Their presence, in the stands and on the floor, created an ongoing and deafening racket. GC tried to get back on track, but Bellmore's offense seemed to be in tune while its defense held up against GC's attack. Bellmore took Game 2, 25-16. In the huddle, before Game 3 started, Garden City Coach Phil Opinante made some adjustments in the Trojan game plan. He ended the intermission by saying "We got ourselves into this and we're going to get ourselves out of it. Let's play some GC ball!" The Trojans responded by stiffening defensively and slowing Bellmore's advance with sharp serving and passing. Allison Castel, Rebecca Langer and Jenna Kirschner contributed several aces while Jackie Bishop, Rebecca Langer, Laura Haynes, Amanda Joyce and Carolyn Cutrone picked up several Bellmore projectiles. Allison Castel and Jenna Kirschner picked up the pace of the GC attack by spreading out their sets to various hitters, confusing the Bellmore blockers. Laura Haynes, Kaitlyn Olsen and Amanda Joyce turned it up a notch by knocking down shots, and you could feel the tide beginning to turn. GC took Game 3, 25-21! Before Game 4 started, the Bellmore fans began chanting more loudly as the Trojans were taking the court. GC started with a flurry of well-placed serves, mixed in with precise passing and a solid defense. Laura Haynes, Amanda Joyce and Rebecca Langer continued their hard-hitting attacks, and GC took Game 4, 25-16! The Bellmore players looked somewhat dejected when they left the court this time, but were still hopeful of an upset in Game 5. As Game 5 began, the home fans grew louder. So much so that the head official requested that Bellmore coach, Allen Ma, ask the fans to maintain sportsmanship. What no one in the gym anticipated was about to unfold on the court. Laura Haynes went to work by slamming several of her cross-court lasers. Amanda Joyce went up high on the outside, hitting well above the Bellmore blockers. Kaitlyn Olsen placed two cut-back shots and stymied the Bellmore assault with two consecutive stuff blocks. The teams switched sides midway through the tie-breaking game and that's when GC closed the door for good! GC ignited the gym and repeatedly came up big on defense, while at the same time the Trojan assault grew more unrelenting. GC finally ended Game 5 with an impressive 25-12 win! When the last ball dropped, the home fans were quiet! It was the GC team members and their fans doing all of the celebrating. After the match, Coach Opinante commented, "Going into this match we knew what we were up against. We knew what we had to do. We always respect our opponents and we give a lot of credit to Bellmore for playing such a great match. I'm thrilled at the resiliency our kids showed. Down two games in a noisy gym against a very tough opponent, I have to credit our girls for their heart and their focus." BY THE NUMBERS: 25 - A one-match career high number of kills for Laura Haynes! 24 - A one-match career high number of assists for Jenna Kirschner! 17 - A one-match career high number of assists for Allison Castel! 16 - The number of consecutive serves without an error by Rebecca Langer! .903 - Team service efficiency for Garden City this season! 11 - A Garden City record for consecutive wins at the start of a season!
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