Parente helps Bellport win first girls volleyball title
Bellport's Paige Carpluk (center) lets out a scream after defeating East Hampton in five games. (Nov. 11, 2010) Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
Bellport girls volleyball coach Larry Auth had one last chance to address his team when it was two points away from a county title and gripping a one-point lead.
"I told them, 'We have no more timeouts, after this it's up to you to stay focused - one point at a time,' " Auth said.
His players delivered, scoring the next two points to lead No. 1 Bellport to victory in the Suffolk Class A final against defending champion No. 2 East Hampton, 3-2, last night at St. Joseph's (L.I.).
Samantha Parente had 21 kills and 10 blocks to help lead Bellport (20-0) to the 25-20, 14-25, 25-27, 25-15, 25-22 victory, its first county championship in girls volleyball.
Afterward, Parente admitted she felt nervous during the final timeout. "You get nervous but you don't show it," she said.
Bellport led 13-6 when the teams changed sides in Game 5 and East Hampton (17-2) twice cut the lead down to one.
Bellport had lost only five games all season but lost the second and third in this match after holding a 1-0 lead. The Game 2 loss, 25-14, was the most lopsided that the Clippers suffered all season.
"We have a tendency when we fall down, [the players] put their heads down for a little bit, the other teams get some points, but the one thing about them is they bring their heads back up," Auth said. "They lost that set but the next game went right to the wire."
Katie Cohen had 20 assists and 23 service points, Kelly McPartland had 47 digs, Hannah O'Neil 10 had kills and 11 blocks and Kacy Parente made 17 assists for Bellport.
The Clippers advanced to face Wantagh (14-0) in the Long Island Class A final at 5 p.m. on Saturday at C.W. Post.
Lindenhurst takes title. Top-seeded Lindenhurst defeated No. 2 Ward Melville, 3-0, in the Suffolk Class AA final.
Alyssa Marchino had 13 kills, two aces and five digs, Emily Clemens had seven kills, 28 assists and six blocks, Kayla Morgan made 11 digs and Jenna Clemens contributed five kills and nine digs for Lindenhurst (16-1) in a 25-11, 25-19, 27-25 victory.
"We did it as a team," Marchino said. "No one thought we could do it, everyone said we were going to lose."
Ward Melville is 17-3.
Lindenhurst will face Nassau Class AA champion Massapequa (17-0) at 11 a.m. Saturday C.W. Post.
Shelter Island wins. Mackenzie Needham had 12 aces, Kelsey McGayhey had 10 kills and Haley Willumsen made 15 assists and hit seven aces for Shelter Island in a 25-7, 25-9, 25-7 win over S.S. Seward in the state Class D Southeast Regional final.
Shelter Island (16-0) advanced to state championship pool play in Glens Falls on Nov. 20.
