With the league title and a favorable playoff seed already secured, Rye faced two tough tests – and got mixed results – in the final week of the regular season.
The Garnets swept Mamaroneck, one of the top teams in Class AAA, on Tuesday, before getting swept Thursday by Ardsley – like Rye, one of the top seeds in the Section 1 Class A bracket.
Losing to the Panthers (25-22, 25-23, 25-20), a team the Garnets swept a month ago, could be a timely reminder that anything can happen this time of year.
Rye (14-4) now enters the playoffs as the No. 2 seed, hosting No. 15 Brewster (3-15) on Wednesday.
“We’re going to keep them in that spot where we’re focusing on one game at a time,” said coach Geri Jones. “We haven’t played with ego all year, and we’re not going to start playing with ego now. We need to continue with confidence, but keep that ego in check.”
The Garnets’ high seed means they’ll play multiple home games in the postseason. That bodes well for a team that won 18 of the 19 sets it played at Rye High School, including Tuesday’s 25-21, 25-17, 24-16 defeat of Mamaroneck.
Jones, a former coach at Mamaroneck, was pleased to see her current team sweep the Bears twice this season.
Jones called the victory a “breakout game” for Audre Campbell, who has been on the varsity squad for just nine days. The freshman had 11 kills and three blocks. Having an offensive threat at middle, in addition to senior captain Phoebe Greto, is critical for the team’s depth entering the playoffs.
Senior libero Emma Lunstead had a team-high nine digs, and junior setter Amelie Modesto had 38 assists.
“You don’t want to get comfortable because they’re so talented,” Jones said. “They could’ve come back at any time, and I don’t want to underestimate any team that we ever play who has that talent and that skill, and is as well-coached as Mamaroneck is.”
Jones’ frequent reminders not to overlook any opponent will be especially important heading into the postseason opener against Brewster, a team Rye swept in its first home match of the season on Sept. 27.
