Bulldogs Boys Volleyball Roars into County Finals

Second Update: Lindenhurst Boys Volleyball Northport, 3-1, , , to capture the . The game went off without hitch or sign of .

The team earned the right to meet the Nassau Division I champions - Massapequa Chiefs - in the on Saturday, November 12, at 12 p.m., at Hofstra University.

Update: " officials sounded the alarm ahead of Wednesday’s boys volleyball showdown for the Suffolk Division I championship after a threat to disrupt the event was uncovered, the school announced." Get the details on Northport Patch.

The number one seed Varsity Boys Volleyball shook off an early challenge from Bay Shore (15-3, number five seed) in Suffolk County Class A semifinal action, upping their season record to 16-0 and a berth in the county finals with a 25-22, 25-19, 25-22 win before a large home crowd.

The win was another big step in what Bulldogs Head Coach Kevin Muscarello termed a goal the seniors on his squad have shared since they started playing together back in the seventh grade - a .

“This is the team. This is their goal,“ he said. “We’re taking it one point at a time.“

Lindenhurst’s 15-0 run in League I of Conference A has been a step-by-step affair. Four of the Bulldogs' wins came in five-game sets, and they had to come back from 0-2 on two occasions to maintain their undefeated record.

And while the Bulldogs had beaten Bay Shore in the conference opener on September 13 in three games, the Marauders came to play on . Bay Shore had also come back from 0-2 deficit in the first round of the , beating a strong Ward Melville team to earn its semifinal match against Lindenhurst.

In fact, the first game was something of a nail-biter, as Bay Shore turned a 13-13 game into a four-point lead, with an eight-point run, to make it 17-21.

But a Travis VonHolt kill made it 18-21, keying an 8-1 run that ended in a game one win. Along the way Robert Sarneckis and Michael Comens chipped in with kills of their own, and Gerard Gigante contributed with a five-point service run.

Lindenhurst came out strong in game two, and jumped ahead 11-7 on two VonHolt kills, but Bay Shore climbed back into it and got to within one at 15-14 before the Bulldogs could get out in front of them.

At 22-18 the Marauders called a time out - but it did little good. Gigante registered two big kills, and VonHolt slammed down the finisher to make it 2-0 Lindenhurst.

By game three it was clear that the Bulldogs were in charge, and it wasn't going to be Marauders' day. Bay Shore was still playing competitively, and stayed with Lindenhurst point by point to 18-17. But a Jimmy Lynn kill from the right side, followed by two winning serves from Joe Curry, put a little daylight between the Bulldogs and their visitors.

A VonHolt kill on a solid Sarneckis assist got it to 24-22, leaving it to Michael Comens to drive home the winning kill.

During the three games Michael Comens led the way with 11 kills, followed by Gerard Gigante with nine, and Travis VonHolt with seven. Matt Reddington notched 13 digs, and Jimmy Lynn contributed 17 assists.

“Bay Shore is a very good team, and we didn’t underestimate them,” said Muscarello afterwards. “We played hard.”

Lindenhurst will play number two seed Northport (12-0 in League II) - which beat Sachem North in five games - in the county finals , , at Longwood High School. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

Photos submitted by Ed Langone.

Editor's Note: Watch for a Lindy Lens look at the of the playoff game on , , as well.