VIDEO, PHOTOS: Improving Lower Cape May spikes first-year Cape May Tech

Posted: October 6th 2023

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE – Two local high school girls volleyball programs moving in different directions got together for a match Thursday afternoon.

Lower Cape May, which has made major strides over the past two seasons to become a very competitive team within the Cape-Atlantic League, posted a 2-0 win over Cape May Tech, which is fielding a team for the first time this season.

Led by junior Alyssa Ferrante with her play around the net and senior Jewels Frederick with her strong service run, Lower Cape May controlled play throughout the two games of the match.

The Lady Tigers improved to 7-5, already matching last season’s school record win total when the team finished 7-12.

“Last year was our best season in the history of the program and this year has been really good so far, too,” Lower coach Greta Pacevich said. “We’re on track to host a state playoff match for the first time and we’ve beaten some teams we haven’t beaten before, so that’s pretty exciting.”

Lower communicated well and played connected throughout the match, qualities that have come through experience and working together through practice.

“The girls are starting to buy into everything,” Pacevich said. “They’ve put in the work from early July on and it definitely shows.”

Ferrante is the team’s leader. The daughter of former coach Rick Ferrante, who started the program at Lower about a decade ago, Ferrante has developed into one of the best players in the Cape-Atlantic League.

“Alyssa makes everyone around her better,” Pacevich said. “But as gifted and talented as she is athletically, she’s more valuable to the team because of the type of person she is and the type of leader she is. She’s one of the easiest kids to coach you'll ever meet. She’s extremely coachable and always wants to get better. She’s a true team player and that helps a lot.”

Other key players include freshman Addie Pacevich (daughter of the head coach), sophomore Ella Biersbach and senior Makayla Lee.

A handful of team’s players are also competing at the club level.

“There are more of them playing year round,” Pacevich said. “When you can get kids touching the ball year round, that makes a big difference.”

Pacevich said she has enjoyed seeing the sport grow in the CAL area. In addition to Cape May Tech, Ocean City also is fielding a varsity team in the league for the first time.

“It seems like every year we’re adding new teams to the conference,” she said. “Hopefully we continue to see that.”

Cape May Tech, meanwhile, is experiencing the growing pains expected for a first-year program. According to coach Dan Loesch, the Lady Hawks were originally due to compete at the junior varsity level this season but ultimately decided to field teams at both the varsity and junior varsity levels due to the high interest in the program. Loesch said nearly 50 athletes came out for the team in August. While some have dropped off, there are still about 30 players in the program, a rather robust number for volleyball.

“Our numbers are great. That’s something we’re really happy with,” Loesch said. “A lot of these girls never played volleyball before. We have seven or eight seniors who’ve never played before and we probably have about 20 younger kids who’ve never played before this year. … We’ve won two JV matches so far and they’re the future of the program, so that’s good to see.”

Tech’s team is led by seniors Destiny Bukowski and Johanna Longstreet and junior Macie Murphy.

“We’re improving and we’re starting to move toward where we need to be,” Loesch said. “It’s a work in progress, a little bit of a learning curve for us.”

Lower Cape May's Danny Lozada tips the ball over the net against Cape May Tech.

Lower Cape May's Alyssa Ferrante keeps the ball alive against Cape May Tech.

Cape May Tech's Emma Oravits prepares to serve against Lower Cape May.