The Marlboro volleyball team may have had the higher seed. In two matches they’ve only been able to take one set from the New Paltz Huguenots.

The third-seeded Dukes were swept in straight sets on Nov. 2 as their season ended with a 3-0 loss to the sixth-seeded Huguenots in the Section 9 Class B quarterfinals.

The two teams had last met on Oct. 7, a match New Paltz won, 3-1, but by virtue of their second-place finish in the MHAL Division II were awarded a higher seed. New Paltz finished third in the MHAL Division I behind Wallkill and FDR.

“I don’t think our energy was there tonight,” Marlboro coach Nicole Kellogg said. “We definitely could have beaten them.”

It was a tough night from the start as they fell behind early in the first set and long service runs by Francheska Gemianiano in the first and second sets helped New Paltz get out to a commanding lead.
Gemianiano went to the service line in the first set with the Huguenots leading, 7-4 and by the time the Dukes got the serve back, New Paltz had opened up a 10-point lead in a set they eventually went on to win, 25-12.
She had a run in the second set, a little less so, taking the line with the dukes leading, 3-2, and New Paltz led 9-4 when a point by the Dukes chased her from the back line.

“Our serve-receive was a little shaky today,” Kellogg said. “We’re a lot better team than that. I think we were just a little off today. It was some nerves and I think they just, unfortunately, didn’t have it in them tonight.”

The Dukes were able to pull to within 19-18, but New Paltz went on to win the set, 25-19.

Marlboro trailed by about three points for most of the third set, eventually falling 25-21 to end the season.
“I’m proud of them,” Kellogg said. “We got this far. We had a great season and I’m ready to take it a little further next season.”

Alexis Sagala had six digs and three aces for Marlboro while Jill Perugino had three digs and three kills.

Kalista Birkenstock had 13 digs, two aces and two kills, while Isabella Gulcaglayan had six digs, two aces and six assists.

Gulcaglayan, Perugino, Sagala will graduate from the team.

“I pulled them all three up as 10th graders, so I’ve been with them as we built a relationship and I’ll miss their energy,” Kellogg said. “They have a good energy, and they work hard on the court so I’m definitely going to miss that energy from those seniors.”

Birkenstock leads a core of four sophomores that are expected to join juniors Madison Callahan and Ava Davidson next year. Kellogg also brought a few players up from the JV to be part of the sectional match.

“They were really excited,” Kellogg said. “They were happy that I pulled them up. They were watching and they’re really pumped to start fresh in August.”