Most girls volleyball teams have a hard time adjusting to one new setter. At Hunter College HS, the Headhunters have two.
Gail Sanders and Daniella Bartalini were both integral parts of the team last year, but neither was a setter. Yet when Francesca Sosnowski graduated, coach June Piniewski decided to employ a 6-2, because she felt those two knew the game well enough to pull it off.
“It’s kind of crazy, I have to give them credit for stepping up to the plate,” Piniewski said. “I went all or nothing this year.”
The Headhunters got mixed results Wednesday in their season opener. They knocked off rival LaGuardia, but the 25-16, 21-25, 25-18 victory took them three sets in PSAL Manhattan 5A. Hunter (1-0) dropped just two sets all of last season, including one to LaGuardia late in the regular season.
“It’s not too bad, it’s getting there,” Piniewski said. “It’s just a matter of working things out.”
Bartalini had nine assists and Sanders had six against LaGuardia (0-1). Jennifer Kim had five kills and Nicole Zelek had 10 digs and 11 aces. Piniewski said her team has three weeks to hit midseason stride. That’s when Hunter plays in three tournaments in three weekends – at Seward Park, Cardozo and John F. Kennedy.
“Hopefully we’ll get it together,” she said. “I was impressed that they pulled through.”
Susan Wagner 2, Curtis 0: Emily Burke and Karolina Wisniewski each had six kills to lead Wagner (1-0) to a 25-15, 25-10 win in PSAL Staten Island A9. Amanda Fiore had 10 assists and eight aces for the Falcons. Curtis is 0-1.
Boys & Girls 2, Van Arsdale 0: Atiya Weeks had seven kills and Joan Powell had 12 assists to lead Boys & Girls (1-0) to a 25-20, 25-19 win in PSAL Brooklyn A2. Van Arsdale is 0-1.
Lane 2, Westinghouse 0: Jennifer Santiago had 12 aces and Shaniya Phillips had 11 aces to lead Lane (1-0) to a 25-12, 25-12 win in PSAL Brooklyn A2. Westingthouse is 0-1.
CHSAA
Preston 3, Maria Regina 0: Kerri Johnson had eight kills, nine aces and three blocks and Nicole Cavigliano had 11 assists to lead Preston (2-0) to a 25-20, 25-23, 25-19 win in CHSAA Bronx/Westchester. Laura Montalto added four kills and three aces for the Panthers.
St. Catharine Academy 3, Our Lady of Victory 0: Alessandra Rosso had seven kills and Lauren Paylor had 12 assists to lead St. Catharine (3-0) in CHSAA Bronx/Westchester. Amarilda Shkoza had four kills and Charlayne Hurlington added five blocks for the Crusaders.
Bishop Kearney 3, Stella Maris 1: Christina Shalhoub had eight kills and Meaghan McGoorty had seven kills to lead Kearney (3-0) to a 25-5, 25-13, 21-25, 25-9 win in CHSAA Brooklyn. Cody Dripchak had five kills and strung together 15 consecutive service points during one stretch. Bridget Kinane had 27 assists and six aces and Molly Tacopina added four aces for the Tigers.
Bishop Loughlin 3, St. Edmund Prep 1: Alychell Waith and Elisa Randall led Loughlin (1-1) in CHSAA Brooklyn.
PSAL CLASS B
School of the Future 2, Pace 0: Carrie Li had seven assists to lead School of the Future (1-0) to a 25-8, 25-6 win in Manhattan B7. Esther Dionisio and Samantha Cotto each added seven aces for the Bulldogs. Pace is 0-1.
