Preston was down to its final point, on the verge of losing to rival Cardinal Spellman for a second time this year.
Then Angela Fragale got the ball, booming serve after serve over the net. The Panthers were down eight points, then six, then four. Spellman coach Jeri Faulkner called a timeout and Preston coach Joel Sanchez was almost speechless in the huddle.
“Every single time Angela went back to serve, the girls were just sweating,” Sanchez said. “Palms were sweating. No one knew what was gonna happen.”
What ended up occurring was an epic comeback. When Fragale was done, she put together a 9-0 service run and Preston had stunned Spellman in a 25-20, 23-25, 19-25, 25-18, 16-14 win Thursday in Throggs Neck. The Panthers were down 14-6 in the fifth set before a stirring rally, led by Fragale and Megan Triano (five kills, four aces and five blocks) at the net.
“The pressure was at the highest point,” Sanchez said. “It was intense.”
When the two teams met Sept. 23, Preston setter Loredana Calce wasn’t at the game and Sanchez himself was late. The Panthers (8-2) were not at full strength and their aim Thursday was to avenge the loss.
Victoria Sorrell had 23 kills and three blocks, Jasmina Dzurlic had seven kills, four aces and 39 digs and Calce had 40 assists. Fragale, the libero, finished with 50 digs, Karen Carlson had 32 digs, Arlene Figueroa had four aces and Courtney Lyver added five blocks. Jessica Ricciardi had 35 digs, Kerri Connelly had 11 assists, Amanda Butler had eight kills and three blocks and Kimberly Wright had six kills for Spellman (4-4).
“Now we recognize what our level really is,” Sanchez said. “This is the hardest, most intense we’ve played all season. Hopefully this is our stepping stone. From here we just go up.”
Maria Regina 3, Good Counsel 1: Sofia Przbylek had 14 kills and 15 assists and Tiffany Robertson had 11 kills for Maria Regina (8-1) in a 25-21, 23-25, 25-16, 25-22 win. Samantha Miano had 10 kills, 16 assists and five digs.
St. Catharine 3, Aquinas 0: Cristina Buchanan had 11 kills, Kelsey Columns had seven assists and Jazmille Vargas had eight assists for St. Catharine (2-8), which is beginning to find its form after a slow start. Yasmine Montes De Oca had five blocks and Shameka Taylor added two blocks.
PSAL CLASS A
Bayside 2, Queens HS of Teaching 0: Yamile Rose, Lia Briffa and Andrea Santiago all had five kills to lead Bayside (3-3) to a 25-21, 25-10 win in Queens A6. Rose added 13 assists. QHST is 1-5.
Curtis 2, McKee/Staten Island Tech 1: Sarak Novak had 12 kills and Danielle Santucci had seven kills to lead Curtis (4-3) to a 21-25, 25-23, 26-24 win in Staten Island A9. Taylor O’Gara had 22 assists and Erin Jacobson had 13 digs. MSIT is 2-5.
Environmental Studies 2, Brandeis 0: Marija Jevtic had five kills to lead Environmental (6-1) to a 25-18, 25-18 win in Manhattan A5. Brandeis is 3-4.
Walton 2, Roosevelt 0: Johanna Pena had seven digs to lead Walton (4-3) to a 25-4, 29-27 win in Bronx A1. Roosevelt is 0-7.
Van Buren 2, Jamaica 1: Erilenia Gonzalez had seven assists and Natural Parker had seven digs and five assists to lead Van Buren (4-3) to a 27-29, 25-20, 25-15 win in Queens A8. Jamaica is 2-5.
Fashion Industries 2, Art & Design 0: Sandra Benavides and Sydney Houston each had six kills to lead Fashion (1-5) to a 25-14, 25-12 win in Manhattan A5. Art & Design is 0-6.
PSAL CLASS B
A.P. Randolph 2, Baruch College Campus 1: Nicole Polonia had six aces to lead Randolph (4-3) to a 25-10, 18-25, 25-22 win in Manhattan B8. Baruch is 3-4.
FDA 2, West 50th Street 0: Lydia Amoa Owusu had five kills to lead FDA (2-3) in a 25-13, 25-11 win in Manhattan B8. West 50th Street is 0-5.
Canarsie 2, South Shore 0: Jonaldy Edouard had six aces and Stephanie Juste had five aces to lead Canarsie (1-5) to a 25-17, 25-21 win in Brooklyn B5. South Shore is 1-4.
Beach Channel 2, August Martin 0: Tierra Holmes had six kills and six digs, Sophia Snell had five kills and Courtney Gallagher had 13 assists to lead Channel (4-3) to a 25-19, 25-14 win in Queens B9. Martin is 0-7.
OTHER SCORES
St. Joseph Hill 3, Notre Dame Academy 0
Lab Museum United 2, Norman Thomas 0
Murry Bergtraum 2, Washington Irving 1
