Despite County Final Loss, Westhampton Becomes Only Suffolk Team To Take Sayville to Five Sets

Shannon Sweet walked off the Hauppauge High School court Thursday with her head held high despite the Westhampton Beach girls volleyball team being on the other side, this time, of a five-set match. That’s because despite their Class A Championship loss — 20-25, 25-19, 24-26, 25-22, 16-18 — the Hurricanes (13-3) became the only Suffolk County team to take No. 1 Sayville to a decisive fifth.

“To accomplish that and have the score as close as it was is honestly an amazing achievement — we played our hardest and left everything out on the court,” the senior said. “We realized that this game was going to be one of the hardest of the season, and we knew we needed to work as a unit if we wanted to have a good game. We were all truly locked in and trying our best.”

Westhampton Beach used a 9-4 run to take a 12-7 lead in the first, jumpstarted by a Katie Burke tip and capped with a kill by the junior outside hitter, who picked up three points across the spurt. Sweet and junior setter Emma O’Came also picked up aces along the way, but Sayville responded with an 11-4 spurt, and Adria Vargas, who missed last season with a knee injury and had 25 kills in the Golden Flashes’ win, picked up her seventh to seal the set.

During the changeover, the Hurricanes thought back to what they’d discussed on the bus ride over — each girl reflecting on individual goals they’d agreed upon — and that set Westhampton Beach up for success. The Hurricanes grabbed a 12-6 lead in the second after three consecutive aces from Burke, who ended the match with 12 kills, and senior middle Karly Pascale earned her second block and three of her 11 kills to help close out the set with Westhampton Beach on top.

“I focused on putting up a really strong block. They had talented hitters, so it was important to take away certain spots to help the rest of my team in the back row,” Pascale said. “I also started noticing open spaces I could hit to.”

Sayville (17-0) dominated the start of the third, bouncing out to an 18-8 advantage after one of Trinity Ricevuto’s 22 kills, but Westhampton Beach went on a 16-6 spurt to tie the set at 24-24.

“Whether it was to cheer as loud as possible or to not get frustrated when something goes wrong, we all tried our best to stick to what we had said on the bus. I think this really had an impact on the game,” Sweet said. “My goal was to stay level-headed and not get frustrated with myself or my teammates no matter what was going on in the game. Energy on the court is contagious, so it was important for myself and everyone else on the team to stay positive and confident. I knew it was important to stay calm and just play my best whether we were up or not.”

Sweet picked up two blocks, another ace and a kill, and Burke earned points on two hard-hitting spikes and a tip to help the Hurricanes get back in it, but back-to-back errors handed Sayville the third set.

“Sadly, we couldn’t pull through with the last two points, but that doesn’t define our season,” Pascale said. “With no one taking Sayville to five sets, it felt really rewarding to make them work for the win. We worked so hard to get to this point, and I’m proud of how we were able to keep fighting, even when it was hard and we were down.”

Senior defensive specialist Makayla Vignieri, who could be found along with senior libero Ellijean Burke diving all over the court for digs to keep the Hurricanes in points, said the positivity meant the most to her.

“Even if I messed up a pass, I could hear the encouragement from my teammates, which helped me make sure my next play was solid,” she said. “We were really good at picking each other up today. Everyone was really positive and put all of their effort into the game.”

“After someone made a mistake, there was always a teammate ready to encourage them and get them out of a slump,” Sweet echoed. “Every point matters, and sometimes people only see the strong hits as a good play, when in reality, so much more goes into earning a point for your team.”

Westhampton Beach made it 19-14 in the fourth after a kill and back-to-back aces for Katie Burke, who is Elliejean’s younger sister. Pascale had four kills and a block in the set.

“Volleyball is a very strategic game, and it is important to be able to read the court and find the holes,” Sweet said. “Sayville has always been a strong competitor, so we knew we needed to play smart.”

The Golden Flashes found themselves trailing, 14-11, in the fifth, just one point away from Westhampton Beach winning the match, but responded with kills from Kelly Reese and Ricevuto. Ricevuto hammered home two more to save another match point and give Sayville a 16-15 lead, and after errors from each team, Khylee Boesch spiked a ball that fell just inside the back of the court to end it.

Sayville will face its Nassau County Class A counterpart at 4 p.m. on Wednesday at Hauppauge High School in the Long Island Championship.

“To make it to the county final and be undefeated league champs is a feeling I will never forget, and I couldn’t be more thankful for it to be with this team,” Sweet said. “I hope that with our team having a lot of younger girls, it shows that with hard work and determination they can go just as far in their remaining years on the team.”

Westhampton Beach finished its first undefeated league season since 2016 to reach the Suffolk County championship game for the first time since 2018. The senior credited the success not just to the work ethic of her teammates, but first-year head coach Sarah Fabian.

“She has had such an immense impact on this team, not just in respect to volleyball, but also creating a sense of family within the team,” Sweet said. “Coach Sarah was truly such a huge part of us making it as far and we did, and I cannot thank her enough for her role and the impact she had.”

“We had a great coach who truly taught us how to collaborate and use our different skills as one,” Vignieri added. “I can’t imagine it being any different.”

Fabian thanked her Hurricanes, and especially the seniors, for the mark they’ve made.

“To my seniors, thank you for making this season one of the best yet,” she wrote in a letter to the team. “You’ve given so much to this program and laid the foundation for a new legacy. We fought a battle that everyone will remember — a testament to the grit, heart and unity that defines this team. Not many coaches are fortunate enough to work with a group that fights with such passion to the very end, and I am so proud to say that I have.”

The coach said it’s been her most rewarding season of her coaching journey.

“The talent, love and friendships on this team have made it incredibly hard to let go,” Fabian said. “This season has broken new ground for Westhampton Beach volleyball — achieving things that haven’t been done in years. Together, we made history, and I am proud of what we have built and what lies ahead. These accomplishments mark the start of something special.”

Pascale was beaming with pride to be at the start of newfound success.

“What our team has done this season not only affects us, but the upcoming players,” the senior said. “It shows the younger girls what it feels like to win and how to work for what’s important — without giving up. It shows other teams that Westhampton is coming back stronger, and this is only the beginning.”