With a strong group of upperclassmen, including seniors Amy Fleming, Ava Lynch and Emily Tedesco and juniors Avery Austin, Veronica Denkewitz, C.J. Echavarria, Lucia Mogavero and Lily Remy, this season is looking to be an exciting one for the Pierson/Bridgehampton girls varsity volleyball team. Echavarria and Lynch are this year’s captains.
Head coach Hilary Corwin, entering her fourth year in Sag Harbor, is excited to help guide this tight-knit squad to a playoff spot, after finishing 4-12 last season.
“I have a smaller team this year, which is really nice for me,” she said. “The girls really play well together, and everyone is getting pretty much equal playing time, which really helps to keep their spirits high and their skills fresh and sharp.”
Having a smaller group of players, along with the help of assistant coach Emily Nill, allows Corwin to form a bond with her players that opposing teams can sometimes lack. She even runs a mile with her team at every practice, showcasing her dedication to the players, the program and the game itself.
The team hasn’t suffered many losses to graduation, but losing Fiona Martin and Annabelle Roussel could prove to be huge this upcoming season.
“She was a big loss because she was super strong at the net and back row and serving, so she was an all-around player,” Corwin said of Roussel. “She was consistently getting about five kills per game, not including tips, so that was definitely a big loss that we will feel this year.”
Roussel’s departure leaves some big shoes to fill, but Corwin says Denkewitz and Mogavero are up to the challenge. She said she loves their tenacity.
“Lucia is hungry for the block, which is super fun. She’s always tracking the ball and jumps really high. We’ll definitely be getting a lot of blocks this year with her.”
Echavarria, who is coming over from Bridgehampton, will also be key to the Whalers’ success this season, Corwin added.
“She played libero last year. I’m playing her there again this year, and also as a right side,” she said. “She does track in the winter, and she’s a hurdler, so her ability to jump and just soar through the air is incredible. So I’m utilizing her in the front row, too.”
Corwin said Lynch is a strong right side and outside hitter.
“I’m optimistic and excited,” Lynch said about the upcoming season.
Hungry for the playoffs, she and Echavarria could prove a fearsome combo for teams across the county.
But the talent doesn’t end there for Pierson, as standout sophomore Layla Garypie landed a starting spot this season as a setter, along with sophomore Destiny Parker playing as an outside hitter.
“I’m really excited that Layla is our starting setter,” Corwin said. “Her ability to get to the ball when it’s anywhere on the court is insane, and we’ve also been working on her defense when she’s in the back row. The communication that she brings to the court is really key and her skills are amazing.”
Corwin is optimistic about Pierson’s playoff chances.
“I’m hoping we have a mixed league this year,” she said. “This way some of our section-scheduled games are mandatory nonleagues. I’m hopeful that within our league, we can at least win 50 percent of our matches to make that playoff spot.”
The Whalers opened the season on Monday against Port Jefferson and followed up with a match against Greenport/Southold at Greenport High School on Wednesday. They host Shelter Island this Friday, September 12, at 4 p.m. before playing at the Ross School on September 15 at 4:30 p.m.
