Port Washington Boys Volleyball Outlasts Long Beach In Five

Relying on a tall front line and drawing on past playoff experience, the fourth-seeded boys volleyball team rallied to win Wednesday's Nassau Class A quarterfinal against No. 5 Long Beach. Host Port Washington dug itself out of a 2-1 hole to win in five games, 25-15, 22-25, 14-25, 25-14, 25-22.

Paul Kagan's kill gave the Vikings the lead for good in the fifth game at 19-18. A crucial block by Daniel Minicucci extended the margin to 21-18. Port finished off Long Beach (10-3) from there.

The Vikings (12-4) are hoping to reach the county final for the fifth straight season. Port Washington will face top seed and defending champ Massapequa in a Nassau Class A semifinal at Roslyn High School at 4:30 p.m. Friday.

Hero: Senior middle hitter Ben Adler, who stands 6-foot, 5-inches, turned in a winning performance. He recorded 12 kills and 5 blocks and generally altered the game at the net. Kagan, a junior 6-4 middle hitter, added 10 kills. Each showed flashes for the dramatic, with powerful spikes and timely blocks.

Turning Point: With Adler serving, the Vikings raced in front 8-1 to take command in game four. He reeled off six straight service points and two aces during the run. Port Washington staved off elimination by winning game four, 25-14, and forcing a deciding fifth game.

Quotable:  "Long Beach is always a tough opponent," Port coach Maria Giamanco said. "I really am glad to say the biggest difference was our seniors. They have the experience and they delivered."

Bottom Line: The victory sets up a rematch of last season's epic Nassau championship, which Port Washington lost in five games to Massapequa. Port won on Wednesday without talented sophomore Jongho Byun, who injured an ankle at practice on Monday. He'll be needed against the Chiefs, but Giamanco said it's unclear whether he'll play. That said, Henry Seo replaced Byun in the lineup against Long Beach and played well.

Key Stat: The Vikings are a young team with three strong seniors at the core: Adler, Murphy and Daniel Chu (9 kills). Each played a key role in the playoff win against Long Beach.

Who's Next: Port Washington vs. Massapequa @ Roslyn, Friday, 4:30 p.m.

Boys Volleyball: Nassau Class A Quarterfinals

Teams…………………..….….1….2….3....4….5

Long Beach………………..15…25…25…14…22

Port Washington……….25…22…14…25…25