Kyle Fagan's 43 kills help Ward Melville boys volleyball to Suffolk Division I title
Patriots outside hitter Kyle Fagan racked up 43 kills against West Islip on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. Credit: George A Faella
Kyle Fagan slammed down yet another kill in the fifth set, turned to his bench and shouted, “I’m unstoppable!”
He wasn’t kidding.
The junior outside hitter totaled a whopping 43 kills to lead No. 5 Ward Melville to a 25-11, 24-26, 21-25, 25-23, 15-9 win over No. 2 West Islip in the Suffolk Division I boys volleyball title match on Wednesday at Center Moriches.
That kill was one of Fagan’s eight in the fifth set and it gave Ward Melville a 12-7 lead, forcing a West Islip timeout.
“I had the best game of my career last week and I felt like I was unstoppable,” Fagan said. “That’s how I embraced that moment in the fifth set and I knew from that point on that we weren’t going to lose this game.”
On Saturday, Fagan racked up 46 kills as Ward Melville knocked off top-seeded Bay Shore in five sets.
“I’m convinced he’s going to be the best kid I ever coach in my life,” coach Brian O’Shaughnessy said. “He’s ready to do whatever he needs to do for us, whether it’s put the team on his back or pick up his teammates. Of course, he’s an exceptional volleyball player, so he literally does everything.”
The Patriots were on the brink of elimination, as West Islip (16-2) held a 23-20 lead in the fourth set. Ward Melville flipped a switch, scoring five straight points to extend the match to a fifth set.
In that run, Fagan picked up two kills, Brady Reyling added a kill and Shaun Mischler had an ace.
“We just meshed at the right time,” O’Shaughnessy said. “We came back from being down 2-0 against Bay Shore and we came back today. They really just have a ‘never say die’ attitude.”
Reyling had four blocks and three kills and outside hitter Shawn Legge had five kills and three blocks.
After picking up its first county title since 2005, Ward Melville (11-6) has its sights set on the Long Island championship match, which will take place at noon on Saturday, Nov. 11 at Center Moriches.
“It’s indescribable,” said Legge, a senior. “This has been our dream for years. We’ve constantly lost in the playoffs and seen each other down. I can’t afford to see everyone like that anymore. To see us win is incredible.”
