Vikings Volleyball Drops Finale to Massapequa

One last team stood between the Massapequa Chiefs and an undefeated season: the Schreiber Vikings. Port Washington had won nine straight matches going into its re-match with Massapequa, who defeated the Vikings in straight sets on April 16.

While the Vikings were primed and ready for the challenge, when it was over the Chiefs (16-0 Conference II, 18-0 overall) had fought their way to a three-games-to-none victory and a perfect season. This time, just like the last match, the Vikings made the Chiefs work for it. Schreiber battled in all three games, falling by scores of 25-20, 25-20, and 25-17.

With the loss, the Vikings finished the season in second place in Conference II with a 13-3 record.

Senior captain Adam Epstein said that the games were close, and the teams were more evenly matched than the scores indicated. "It was almost point for point," Epstein said, "except for one rotation in each game when they went on a run, scored about four in a row, and we weren't able to get back into it." 

Coach Maria Giamanco was pleased with her team's performance, and echoed Epstein's assessment of the games. "There were a couple of rotations where they ran off four or five points, and we couldn't stop them," she said. "At some points we had control of the game, but mostly they had control."

Epstein added that it wasn't one individual Massapequa player that stood out during the match, but that they worked very well together and were hard to defend. More importantly, though, many Vikings players are eager to take on the Chiefs again.  "We can't wait for another opportunity to face them in the playoffs," Epstein said.

The Vikings' road to another opportunity to face Massapequa will begin on Friday at home versus the Hicksville Comets (7-8 Conference I) at 4:30 p.m. Schreiber defeated Hicksville, 3-1, on May 3 by scores of 25-19, 25-22, 23-25, 25-21.