Last year Ossining enjoyed a solid season, registering a 14-7 record, earning a 3-2 triumph against visiting Somers in the opening round of the Section 1 Class A tournament before losing 3-1 in the quarterfinals at Yorktown.
Ossining did lose four players from that squad. They were Charlotte Kleinman (graduation), Jessica Corbi (transferred to Ketcham), Maite Antola (science-research student) and Alex Dennis (cross-country).
Despite losing those four, the Pride still has plenty of talented players returning to make another run at sectional play this season.
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“We have a lot of experience,” Ossining coach Frank Irvin said. “We have some fine athletes at positions they could really help us out at, defensively and offensively.”
One of those talented returnees is junior middle/outside hitter Lydia Davis.
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“She jumps very high, is very competitive,” Irvin said. “She gives you everything she’s got.”
Junior middle back Danielle Gerviosio is someone that will give it her all on the court and that rubs off on her teammates according to Irvin.
“She plays with a lot of heart,” Irvin said. “She has great courage, toughness, knows the game, understands the game and is very, very competitive.”
Another Pride player who is a great competitor is senior right back Franny Sanchez.
“She is a tremendous, tremendous player,” Irvin said. “She is a great defender. She digs extremely well. She is our captain, she is a great leader for our team.”
What’s also great for the Pride is that it has junior right-side hitter Saniya Chong on its side. Chong maybe better known for her basketball talents that have colleges across the country drooling but she also has plenty of colleges interested in her for volleyball as well according to Irvin.
Chong has tremendous talent and her physical attributes are off the charts, Irvin said.
“She’s probably and this is just my opinion so I could be wrong but I would say she is the quickest athlete in Section 1, male or female,” Irvin said. “That is why she is a great Division I prospect for volleyball and basketball. She is just so fast, so quick. She jumps really well and hits well.”
Chong is so important to the team’s chances of winning, Irvin feels that the Pride may have very well walked out of Yorktown’s gym with a sectional victory a year ago had Chong been her normal self in that contest.
“I expected us to do better,” Irvin said. “When we played Yorktown, our best player (Chong) had got hurt the night before, that stopped her from playing up to her potential.”
Being a key off the bench is junior right-side hitter Kathryn Polletta.
“She hits the ball well,” Irvin said. “When we have to rotate people out, she’s coming in and she holds up her end and hits well for us and keeps us in the game. She is going to be a good player for us this year.”
Playing with the above teammates that she has gives Sanchez confidence that the Pride will succeed again this year.
"We have a lot of potential to go as far, if not farther, than we did last year," Sanchez said. "If we play up to our potential, we will be a very tough team to play."
Ossining started its season with a 3-1 loss at Westlake on Wednesday. Its next match is at 4:15 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16 at Lakeland.