Class A Volleyball Section 9 Semifinals

Lady Panthers upset in Section IX semifinals

Top-seeded Monticello victimized by Rondout Valley’s powerball

By RICHARD A. ROSS

MONTICELLO, NY — The atmosphere in the Monticello gymnasium was electric on November 3 as hundreds of avid spectators were on hand to cheer on their beloved Lady Panthers volleyball team. The home crowd was already stoked behind the arrival of the boys’ soccer team, who had just returned following their 1-0 semifinal victory over Wallkill.

For the first time in 35 years, the Monticello boys’ team was heading for a sectional final. Hoping to have two of their fall teams in a position to win sectional titles, Panther fans entered the gym with their faces painted and their sprits alive. A cheering section was revved up by a group of guys whose bellies spelled out P-A-N-T-H-E-R-S.

After defeating Cornwall last week to take the regular season title, Monticello was deemed the one seed and had a first round bye while they awaited the winner of the match between number four Goshen and number five Rondout Valley.

The Lady Ganders won that match and arrived on November 3 to challenge Monticello, which came into the tournament with an impressive 15-1 record. Rondout Valley entered the match at 10-5.

The Lady Panthers got the first point of the first game but never led again as Rondout Valley moved on to win the opener 25-20. Monticello did get fine play from Pollyanna Palhano, Emily Drobysh and Desiree Laguna, but they seemed overmatched by Rondout’s ability to set up Nadasky, who spiked the ball with authority.

The second game was an entirely different matter. The Lady Panthers overcame a game-opening serve into the net to go on to play dominant volleyball. Deft play by Palhano and fine service by Marissa Smithem allowed the Panthers to go on scoring runs. A block by Palhano cemented Monticello’s 25-15 victory and the match was tied at one-all.

In pivotal game three, the two teams traded the lead in the early going, but the Lady Panthers built up a 15-10 lead before Rondout Valley scored six straight points behind the service of Rachel Roosa. Monticello kept it close but never caught up in the 25-21 Rondout Valley win.

Ineffective service hampered both teams, but it seemed as if Monticello was plagued by the problem at key times during the entire evening. No such problems existed for Desiree Laguna, whose service set up the five-point Monticello lead.

Trailing two games to one, Monticello sought to find a way to minimize the damage from Nadasky and to concentrate on getting the ball over the net. Urged on by a passionate and enthusiastic home crowd, Monticello took the floor in an attempt to force a critical fifth game.

Meanwhile, during the timeout Lady Ganders coach Paul Bianco impressed on his players the importance of winning the fourth game. Bianco was fully aware that anything could happen in a fifth game, especially in Monticello’s gym. The Lady Panthers came out to stave off an impending semifinal elimination, which would be a painful repeat of last year’s exit to Red Hook.

Unfortunately for Monticello, the same dynamic was in force. Nadasky took her game up a notch, and her kills victimized the Lady Panthers. Rondout Valley also profited by kills from Jessica Merck. Giving it their all, Monticello overcame an early two-point deficit to tie the game at six-all, seven- all and eight-all and then went ahead 10-8 on a scoring run behind the service of Laguna. Rondout Valley looked tense as its players overshot the ball and drove it into the net. Monticello led 14-10 but inconsistent service slowed the advance. The teams took turns hitting it into the net on serves. With Nadasky serving, the Lady Ganders went from a 15-11 deficit to tie the game at 15-all.

Rules require the spectators to be silent when teams are serving but the deafening din during the ensuing volleys was indescribable. The game was tied at 17-all and 18-all before the Lady Ganders took the lead they would never relinquish. The final game score was 25-22. In the end the total difference of points amounted to only two in favor of the Lady Ganders (90-88) but the game total was 3-1 and that was all that mattered.

Visibly shaken, the Lady Panthers retired to the locker room for a post-game meeting with coach Karen Atack. Out on the floor, Bianco and his players quietly celebrated the elimination of the one seed. They would face Cornwall at Orange County Community College on November 5.

“We matched up well with Monticello,” Bianco said. “We had a plan to play power volleyball and we were able to implement it effectively. Our service was our weakest point, but it was great to see Taylor Bessimer end the game with an ace.”

Monticello finished its season at 15-2.

Rondout Valley succumbed to Cornwall in the Class A final.

For additional pictures of the Monticello-Rondout match visit rivereportersports.com.