Hampton Bays Girls Volleyball Team Clinches First Playoff Berth Since 2016

Brianna Quiros said when the final point was earned against Shoreham-Wading River last Tuesday, she had to pinch herself to be sure she wasn’t dreaming.

That’s because with a 3-0 sweep of the Wildcats — 25-17, 25-11, 25-10 — her Hampton Bays girls volleyball team earned its first playoff berth since 2016.

“When the match ended, a lot was lifted off the team’s shoulders,” Quiros, the team captain, said. “It has not really hit a lot of us yet how serious our accomplishments actually are, but we finally proved to ourselves that we could do this.”

The senior setter finished with 18 assists, 12 digs and six aces in the win, while sophomore middle blocker Asha Pensa-Johnson had 16 kills and junior Yadith Paredes played a tough game at defensive specialist.

“It’s amazing to be able to give Hampton Bays sports a positive name and show that we have strong athletes who work hard to be the best at what we do,” Pensa-Johnson said. “It felt great to have the stress of making it into playoffs relieved, and I know that now that we are going to put in as much effort as possible to be even better and achieve great things.”

There was a lot of pressure to earn the final victory for that playoff spot. The Baymen (11-3 overall, 7-3 in League VII) had gone on a seven-match tear to start the season, and earned three straight more after a 3-0 loss to Bayport-Blue Point (9-2, 9-1). But, with one win to go, the team suffered close losses to Center Moriches, 3-0 — 25-22, 25-15, 25-21 — and Elwood-John Glenn, 3-2 — 25-21, 24-26, 25-13, 16-25, 11-15 — two teams they’d beaten during that initial win streak.

“We got into a little funk the past couple of games and have not been playing the way we were in the beginning of the season,” Quiros said. “There was a constant stressful feeling on the court, and we were playing as six individuals, not as the team we are. We started playing against ourselves instead of the other teams.”

Pensa-Johnson added the energy was also there this time around. In the previous two losses, the Baymen started strong, but could not sustain the momentum built early in those matches.

“We really kept each other going throughout the whole game — even if we lost a point, we would fight to get it back right away,” she said. Though her swinging gave the team a big boost, as well. “It feels great to keep everyone excited and in matches. As a sophomore, I feel proud to be contributing so much for our team, and I love that I’m able to perform playing a sport I’m so passionate about.”

Head coach Andy Fotopoulos, in his 32nd year of coaching, said it was crucial for his girls to regain their confidence.

“In the two losses, we did not score easy points — we had to work hard for every one we earned, and that is a credit to the two teams we faced — they played relentless defense,” he said. “But now, there are four teams that have qualified for the Class B Suffolk County playoffs, and we are confident and know we can beat any one of those teams.”

Senior outside hitter Lilly Patek, who also earned crucial kills for Hampton Bays this season, said the Baymen have built strong chemistry on and off the court, allowing the girls to feed off of each other during games. She said the team is focused on playing smart and is back to making minimal mistakes, but added the losses will play a big part in how the team performs from here on out.

“We’ve learned that we need to play more as a team instead of basing things on individual mistakes and successes, but I’m very proud of our team,” Patek said. “We’ve all put in a lot of time and worked relentlessly to get where we are — I think we deserve this — and I’m excited to have an extended season my last year playing volleyball with my teammates.”

Quiros said her team is enjoying the journey, having fun while playing and relishing in the wins. But she said they know there’s a lot more left to prove.

“Freshman me on varsity wouldn’t believe the things this team is accomplishing, but now I really feel like we have what it takes to make it far,” Quiros said. “It’s a matter of how much effort we are willing to put in every game, both physically and mentally, but we’ve definitely changed our mindsets. We want it more than ever.”

Her teammate took it a step further.

“We will be more prepared heading into the playoffs, and we are stronger than ever before,” Pensa-Johnson said. “I want to see a banner for girls volleyball up in our gym this year, and for many years to come.”