The way the large ball bounces in Port Chester for Lady Rams VBallers and its 2 soccer teams

September 28, 2023 at 12:21 a.m.

Port Chester defenseman Samantha Munoz attempts to break away from a Fox Lane player during the Lady Rams’ home soccer game against Fox Lane on Wednesday, Sept. 20. The Foxes defeated the Rams 3-0. (Chloe Trieff/Westmore News)

If you follow the large bouncing ball in, out, over and around the net locally, it is taking some surprising bounces. The Lady Rams volleyball team has come out of nowhere to sport Port Chester's best record at 6-1 after three more straight shutouts while the Rams soccer team is showing signs of turning things around after beating archrival White Plains. But, alas, the Lady Rams soccer team still can't win for losing even as their coach has come up with a good idea on how to change the losing culture.

Vball ups and downs

With new uniforms, a new coach (Stephanie Costabile) and a new winning attitude, here's a volleyball shoutout because the team recorded three more consecutive 3-0 shutouts down county (Mount Vernon), at home against Rockland County powerhouse Clarkstown North and up county (Poughkeepsie). And they are doing it with a newfound killer instinct revolving around players like Nataly Suertegaray, Camila Nunez, Julianna Luzzi, Esmeralda Navarro and Skylar Sams. The entire team has bought into Costabile's concept of team play coming from a strong nucleus consisting of Yanairis Tejeda, Kayla Rodriguez, Emily Garcia, Cindy Laynes, Nataly Garcia, Karah Provenzano, Katherinne Cano and Ava Ramos.

      

They hope to continue their winning ways in upcoming games against East Ramapo away Thursday (9/28) at 5 p.m. and home games against Ossining Saturday (9/30) and White Plains Monday (10/2) at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. respectively.

The soccer Rams

Head coach John Cafaldo's soccer Rams may well have turned their season around by beating rival White Plains away 6-1 with goals coming from Ramaul Morgan, Nick Tellez, Daniel Cruz, Christian Antunez, Jorge Lopez and Zahid Cardenas. Assists came from Jostin Guallpa, Antunez, Morgan and Marcos Barajas. And goalkeeper Jonathan Bautista made seven spectacular saves.

The Rams kept up the scoring barrage away during a 7-1 beatdown of Lincoln with scores coming from Cruz, Morgan, Lopez, Brayan Lapoyeu, Denilson Suhul, Ivan Henao and Enrique Farias. Cruz (2), Morgan and Barajas notched assists. And the Rams lost a close home match to league power Ossining 3-2 with Morgan and Tellez scoring, Tellez also racking up an assist and Bautista recording four saves.

The Rams’ next tests come against Greeley at home and away Thursday (9/29) and Monday (10/2) at 4:45 and 6 p.m. respectively followed by Scarsdale B away Tuesday (10/3) at 4:30 p.m., Fox Lane Thursday (10/5) away at 5 p.m. and a return home match against White Plains Saturday (10/7) at 10 a.m. By then, Cafaldo should know whether the turnaround is for real.

Lady Rams soccer

The Lady Rams are still reeling from their three latest losses to Mahopac (5-0), Fox Lane (3-0) and White Plains (6-0), so much so that they have told head coach Danny Alvarado they are tired of losing to teams with year-round travel team programs, something Port Chester doesn't have. So Alvarado is talking to the recreational powers-that-be about starting a year-round program. But until that happens, the Lady Rams will have their work cut out for them in upcoming games against Ossining Thursday (9/28) and Greeley Monday (10/2), both at home at 4:30 p.m., followed by away games against Arlington B Wednesday (10/4) at 4:30 p.m. and Fox Lane Friday (10/6) at 5 p.m. Their next home game is Saturday (10/7) against Hamilton at 1 p.m.

That's the way the large ball bounces. Nobody said it was going to be easy.