East Meadow’s girls’ volleyball team faced obstacles.
It lost its star libero, Aleece Catalano, to graduation and moved up in conference to the more rugged AAA2.
But if there was any trepidation this wouldn’t be a successful season, it has been erased. East Meadow has blazed to a surprising 6-0 start in conference play (7-1 overall).
Last season, the Jets didn’t win their conference while missing the playoffs despite a winning record. But East Meadow is now on track for a trophy after knocking off Uniondale in a five-setter last Friday to extend its torrid start.
“It’s the chemistry they have on and off the court,’’ coach Devon Hagerstrom said. “They’re a super close team and bring the energy during games and practices. It’s a strong defensive team. We’re undefeated because of our defense. It’s really strong.
Replacing Catalano at libero is junior Tiffany Acosta. She has stepped up to fill Catalano’s shoes impeccably. But the defense is coming from all angles.
The stars are setters, junior Charlee Cuevas and Annika York, who has 81 assists. Senior middle hitter Paulina Kulikowski has been a bedrock on defense, too.
Cuevas and York have made fierce defensive tandem. “They give us a strong double block against any team we play,’’ Hagerstrom said.
Cuevas, a standout as a sophomore on its 11-6 team, has switched positions from outside hitter to setter. It has not been a big adjustment because she’s played setter on travel club teams. She notched 16 assists and 10 digs against Uniondale. “I’m excited we’ve had a good season so far,’’ Cuevas said. “I’m hoping we can play at this level we’ve been playing, even do better. A lot of us play outside school. It’s helpful when you have club players on the team. We all know how to work systematically.’’
Serving has also been a strength. York has 18 aces. Acosta, a junior varsity libero in 2024, leads the team with 28 aces.
“We’re doing well with our serving,’’ Hagerstrom said. “It’s really key for us - serving aggressively and getting teams out of system.’’
Cuevas is the embodiment of the Jets’ close unit. “She was real good last year too but she’s stepped up, stays in the full game and leads the team as a junior,’’ Hagerstrom said. “She brings us together with her leadership.’’
Cuevas is 5-foot-8 and notes that height isn’t the team’s top attribute. “I’m kind of short for a volleyball player,’’ Cuevas said. “We have a pretty short team but work hard on coverage and make up for it.’’
The best win so far came Sept. 9 at Hicksville – a tough opponent that had a big lead in the fourth set. It looked like the match was hurtling toward a fifth set but East Meadow rallied to pull through, 3-1.
“It was a great game to watch,’’ Hagerstrom said. “I’ve never seen them play consistently without a drop.’’
Cassandra Snow, only a freshman, is another reliable defender and there’s more depth than ever. Senior Haily Lipack is an offensive threat – 9 kills versus Uniondale. Maya Cieloszczyk notched 6 blocks in the 5-setter. Guilianna D’Alessandro, a senior, is one of the spiritual leaders.
The lone loss occurred Sept. 18 at the hands of Farmingdale in a non-league match. The big conference showdown will be against also-unbeaten Baldwin.
“The game is going to show who the best team in the conference is,’’ Hagerstrom said.