Lady Trojans Net Nassau County Volleyball Title





The GCHSGirls Varsity volleyball team.

The GCHSGirls Varsity volleyball team.

The GC Girls’ Varsity Volleyball team started the 2007 season as a big question mark, but finished as a big exclamation point by winning its first Nassau County Championship.

Competing in the Nassau County “A” upper ability conference, GC endured he challenges of its grueling schedule by going 12-4 in conference play and advancing to the playoffs as the #2 seed. Along the way, GC captured the Cold Spring Harbor Invitational Volleyball Tournament with a come from behind win against “AA” power, East Meadow, Wantagh. The Lady Trojans got off to a good start in its playoff run and swept the Conference 2 champs, south Side, in 3 games (25-19,25-17, 25-15). GC then met its archrival nemesis, Wantagh, in the semifinals, and earned a four hard-fought win in games (25-20, 21-25, 25-22, 25-11).

In the Nassau County Championship match up, GC showed its resiliency by coming out of the coffin three times to defeat #1 ranked West Hempstead in a five-game roller coaster ride. The Trojans took the upper hand in a well-played first game (25-19) before West Hempstead roared back and decisively won Game 2 (8-25). GC bounced right back and routed the Rams in Game 3 (25-10), but West Hempstead again retaliated in Game 4 (8-25). In the Game 5 tiebreaker, West Hempstead was up 6-1 when GC coach Phil Opinante called the last of his Trojans’ two time outs to make adjustments against the West Hempstead assault. With the Rams up 8-3, the Trojans began their amazing comeback that began with their trademark defense. Following two digs by Carolyn Cutrone (6 kills, 9 digs), Kaitlyn Olsen (21 kills, 6 block solos) crushed the first of her 5 kills of the last stanza. With Lisa Yanosik (7 digs, 5 assists) and Dorothy Niemira (6 kills, 4 blocks, 2 block assists) making several touches and partial blocks against the West Hempstead attackers, sophomore Libero, Casey O’Hanlon (14 digs), co-captain Rebecca Langer (15 kills, 12 digs, 3 aces) and setter Allison Castel (14 assists, 9 digs, 3 aces) came up with repeated digs in the backcourt. Langer converted with a back row kill, and co-captain Jenna Kirschner (5 kills, 18 assists, 9 digs) followed with an ace and 4 more consecutive serves that put the Rams on their heels. In between, Kaitlyn Olsen made two more thunderous kills and GC’s defense got stingier with more digs by O’Hanlon, Yanosik and Cutrone.

Game 5 seesawed back and forth to 14-14 when Allison Castel served up one of her three aces of the match. The stiffened GC defense transitioned into a methodic offense orchestrated by senior setters Allison Castel and Jenna Kirschner. At 20-19, Casey O’hanlon came up with the dig of the match that charged the noisy onlookers and sparked GC’s final run. Kaitlyn Olsen capitalized by placing a drop shot over the Ram’s double block that was followed by a downed ball by the Rams. With the tension soaring in the Hofstra University PAC and the Trojans holding on to a slim 21-20 lead, Dorothy Niemira converted an outside set from Jenna Kirschner and knocked her shot straight down the left sideline to make it 22-20. The Rams had difficulty handling Madison Horl’s ensuing serve, and GC received another forced free ball before Rebecca Langer made it 23-20 with a misdirection dink around the West Hempstead double block. West Hempstead made it 23-21, but the Lady Trojans’ quest for a county title was not to be denied. At 24-21 and the roaring crowd on its feet, GC finished the match in systematic fashion when Allison Castel launched a strong serve that was followed by another Carolyn Cutrone dig in transition. Dorothy Niemira did the honors by neatly dropping a two-handed placement shot in the midst of the valiant Ram defenders.

An excited Allison Castel stated, “No one expected us to get to the top. Going in, not many people gave us a chance, but we surprised everyone including ourselves. We couldn’t have done it without everyone of us giving 110% of our hearts in each and every game”. Coach Opinante described the Game 5 comeback by commenting: “Our girls showed a remarkable amount of intestinal fortitude and resiliency against a well-coached and very strong West Hempstead team. We were in a bit of trouble early on until we settled down. defensively, we made some positioning adjustments and we read them better. We got stronger midway through as the game progressed, and particularly, down the stretch. We were able to serve better to designated zones, and our setters mixed it up nicely getting our outside attackers to compliment and support our middle attack. But our main ingredient was there – like it has been all season. No matter the circumstances, our convictions and our team spirit were relentless. These kids never ever quit.”

The 2007 campaign finally ended when GC eventually bowed to a very talented West Hampton team in a highly contested five-game match in the NYS Regional.

Jenna Kirschner described her team by stating, “This year’s group of girls defined the word ‘team’. Each one of us had talent at various positions,a nd when we put it together on the court, we had the collective skill to win the title, which is truly something very special”. kaitlyn Olsen added, “In the beginning of the season, we didn’t know if we could top last year’s awesome team. We lost a couple of games this season – something we’re not use to doing – but against the odds, we rallied and reached new heights”.

Coach opinante closed by stating,m “I am extremely proud of this team. From opening day, each team member took GC Pride as a real concept, a culture and a practice rather than an idea. Every team member lived it and took responsibility for what we were doing. We came together and we began the season with a collective determination. Each team member was extremely hard working and each one of them had a personal ego – an ego that was the success of her team. This is an exceptionally resilient and spirited bunch of kids, and I am so happy for the. They will have great memories of their volleyball experiences along the way, and they truly know what it means to be part of a team.”

Rebecca Langer, Jenna Kirschner, and Kaitlyn Olsen were selected to the 2007 all county team and the class “a” all tournament team, Allison Castel was selected as all county honorable mention, and Carolyn Cutrone was an all conference team selection. Kaitlyn Olsen earned the 2007 Nassau County Class “A” Most valuable player Award and she was selected tot he 2007 all long island team and the all new york state team. The Nassau Volleyball Coaches Association honored Jenna Kirschner as the team’s 2007 scholar athlete award recipient.

The following team recognition awards were also presented:

Outstanding Player Award – Kaitlyn Olsen, Rebecca Langer

Team Leadership Award – Madison Horl

Determination Award – Jenna Kirschner

Most Improved Player – Lisa Yanosik

Team Player Award – Juliana Ortego, Brooke Badgett, Sam Sweeney

Unsung Hero Award – Allison Castel, Carolyn Cutrone

Team Spirit Award – Jennifer Hoffman

Rookie of the Year Award – Dorothy Niemira, Casey O’Hanlon

Dig Award – Casey O’Hanlon



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