Bronx Science coach Jeremy Bass passed out an informal team survey last week. The questions posed to the players were things like who do you want to set when the game is on the line, who do you want serving when the game is on the line and who’s the best teammate?
Sophomore right side Dominique Watt was the selection for almost all the players – for just about everything.
“Dom pretty much swept all the categories, which probably surprised her since she’s only a sophomore,” Bass said. “But to get that praise and recognition from her team helped her confidence this week.”
That was readily apparent in Bronx Science’s pivotal 25-23, 25-17 win against John F. Kennedy in PSAL Bronx A1 girls volleyball Wednesday at Lehman HS. Watt had 12 kills and looked unafraid to let her swing go, even from the back row. The victory gives the Wolverines the inside track on their first division title in recent memory with two matches left.
“I definitely didn’t expect that,” Watt said. “There are really great players on our team and I feel like we’re a well-rounded team. I was surprised that it was me.”
Watt is so quiet and reserved that Bass said sometimes he and the team have to encourage her to speak out more. Her game spoke for herself against Kennedy (9-2), though, and also in a scrimmage Tuesday with Francis Lewis, the No. 2 team in New York City according to The Post. Bronx Science took a set off Lewis, the three-time defending PSAL champ, and stayed close throughout.
“It was a confidence booster,” Watt said. “It was like, ‘Wow, if we can take a set from Francis Lewis, what else can we do?’”
That scrimmage might end up being a turning point in the season for Science (10-0). Since the Secondary School for Law, Journalism and Research tournament Oct. 10, the Wolverines have been in a bit of a funk. They didn’t play well at the Cardozo tournament and couldn’t rebound at the Tottenville Robert Kronisch Memorial Tournament two weeks ago.
But things looked good and there was energy there against Lewis. It carried over to Wednesday. Sophomore middle Mary Platt had five kills, freshman setter Elissa Shiau had 18 assists and junior libero Anna Baron had eight digs for Science against Kennedy.
“They showed a lot of heart and made a lot of scrappy plays that I haven’t seen a lot of recently,” Bass said.
Science held a 21-15 advantage after a 5-0 service run by Shiau in the first before Kennedy came roaring back to tie it at 22. But a Platt block all but sealed it for the Wolverines. Five straight service errors hurt the Knights late in the second set and this will be the first time in a long time they won’t be the best team in The Bronx heading in the playoffs. Ashley Herrera led Kennedy with nine kills, Doruntina Zariqi had four and Jessica Gonzalez had 17 assists.
“It gives us a positive look for playoffs and really excites us,” Watt said of the victory. “It’s a great win. It helps us believe that we can do anything now.”
Bass said his Bronx Science’s boys volleyball team making a run to the PSAL city finals made a big impression on the girls, who are always around in the spring.
“I saw an increase in their volleyball IQs,” Bass said. … “Being around the same sport rubs off on everybody.”
Watt was around some in the spring, but spent most of the offseason playing for the NYC Juniors. Now she’s looking more and more like one of the top young hitters in the city. Just don’t expect her to tell you about it.
The players have a chant for her: “Dom, Dom, Dom, Dominate!” But she’s sheepish when asked about it. Shiau is much more glib.
“I think she’s an amazing player, but I don’t think she knows it yet,” Shiau said. “I really think that she can take our team far.”