Last season, the Hills West Girls Volleyball Team clinched the NYSPHSAA Class AA Championship by defeating Fayetteville–Manlius in five games at the state tournament in Glens Falls, New York, earning the school’s very first state championship. That historic victory set a new high standard for the Half Hollow Hills West program, and this year’s team has continued to build on that remarkable success. The 2024–2025 Colts have looked nearly as strong, showing impressive growth, depth, and resilience as they work to follow up last season’s unforgettable run.
This week, the Hills West Girls Volleyball Team captured the Suffolk County Class A Championship with a thrilling straight-set victory over Islip. Star player Veronica Pelis has stepped into an even larger leadership role this season, helping the Colts replace two of last year’s top contributors without missing a beat. Pelis recorded 13 digs and four aces to lead the top-seeded Colts to a 25–23, 25–17, 25–22 win over No. 3 Islip. Ella Corso added nine digs, nine kills, and two aces, while Emily Dantona contributed five kills and three blocks. Morgan Wolcott had 10 digs, seven kills, and two aces, and setters Autumn Fichtelberg and Lex Ferguson distributed the offense with 14 and 10 assists, respectively, helping secure the program’s second straight county title.
The Colts opened the first set with an early 8–1 lead after a kill from Corso. Islip trimmed the deficit to 18–16 following a kill from Addeo and an ace from Haynes, but Hills West responded, taking a 23–20 lead after a kill by Gabby Williams and an ace from Pelis. Islip fought off two set points before a service error ended the frame.
Hills West (16–1) will now face South Side or Plainedge at 4 p.m. on Wednesday in the Long Island Class A Championship at Hauppauge.