Blue Devil Girls’ Volleyball Closes in on Playoffs

The Huntington girls’ volleyball regrouped after a pair of tough losses and rallied in the fifth game to nip Centereach before a loud crowd in Louis D. Giani Gymnasium.

After starting the season with a 7-1 record, the Blue Devils dropped a pair of decisions while also watching starter Brianna Borenstein go down with an ankle injury. So the home match against Centereach took on even more importance.

Huntington dropped the first game, 25-19 before winning the second game, 25-10. Centereach took a 2-1 lead when it won the third game, 25-19. The Blue Devils pushed the match to a fifth and deciding game by winning the fourth game, 25-21.

A large crowd was further bolstered when two dozen football players stopped into the gym following a team dinner in the cafeteria. The Blue Devil football players cheered and chanted, pumping up the volleyball players, who needed every bit of encouragement.

Huntington trailed early, 4-0, but rallied to take the fifth game, 15-12 to win the match and improve to 8-3. With seven matches remaining, the Blue Devils need two wins to earn a playoff berth.

“The eight wins so far this season is the most since Huntington won nine matches in 1998,” head coach Todd Donaghy said. “It was a fantastic win tonight against Centereach.

Kate Barba broke the school record for kills with 32 against Centereach. She added 21 digs, four service aces, two assists and a block. Entering this week, Barba is first in Suffolk with 210 killsl first in aces with 52 and fourth in digs with 134. Barba currently holds school records for a season in kills and aces.

Lauren Donaghy tallied a staggering 42 assists against Centereach to give her a Suffolk best 338 this fall. The Blue Devil great is a mere 30 assists away from breaking her own school record. Donaghy added 12 digs, six kills, one block and one ace against Centereach. Neurdia Osias had 13 kills, three digs and a block.

Emily Barba tallied 12 digs, two aces and two kills. She is third in Suffolk with 34 aces and 17th in digs with 90. Zaida Correal had four digs and Jocelyn Thorbourne had six digs, two assists and two aces. Isabella Morris contributed three digs, an assist and a block.

Huntington hopes to get Borenstein back as soon as possible. She’s a big part of the varsity lineup.