Ward Melville boys volleyball win a bye into semi-finals
The Ward Melville Patriots boys volleyball team was down 0-2 Oct. 20, but not for long. The team rallied in their home game against Connetquot, and the Patriots emerged with a reverse sweep in the Division 1 matchup. The final score, 3-2.
The win ended the regular season for the Patriots where they stand 13-1 in their division. The night also earned them a first round bye in the playoffs.
During the crucial matchup, captain Jarod Popp had 23 kills, 16 digs and two blocks, while sophomore Kyle Fagan had 23 kills and 14 digs.
Popp called the team “incredible.”
“Now our focus is on the playoffs where any team, one through seven, can win it all,” he said.
Richie Ragonese, senior captain, called both teams “very talented.”
“We had our backs against the wall and knew we had to change that,” Ragonese said. “We fought hard until the last ball dropped.”
Head Coach Brian O’Shaughnessy said he was proud “of how hard our boys worked and fought in that game.”
“To come together and battle back from being down 0-2, to a team of Connetquot’s caliber was impressive to watch,” O’Shaughnessy said. “It showed how determined and resilient our boys can be.”
Ward Melville will play a home game Saturday, Oct 29, at noon against the winner of Wednesday’s West Islip vs. Bay Shore match. The winner of Saturday’s game will go on to the Suffolk County finals.
