Week Six…Let’s Not Beleaguer the Fact You have No Sense of Timing…The Fact is, You’re here…
Hell of a night, huh, Ted?
10/16/25
I grew up in the time of the emergence of Quentin Tarantino. Sure, everyone knows him now, but when I was in high school to college, knowing a Tarantino film meant you were in a slick club of movie noir aficionados.
If you saw Reservoir Dogs, you were in. If you saw Killing Zoe, of which Tarantino was an executive producer on that film, you were next level. When Pulp Fiction came out, everyone saw what us “cool kids” knew already…Tarantino was fearless, full of dark comedy, and made wildly entertaining movies. He was known for outrageous scenarios, cool dialogue, edgy topics, and awesome music…the OG to all the watered down versions…James Gunn would be one example.
Pulp Fiction was in 1994. A year later a movie called Four Rooms emerged. It was a movie that featured four different sections written and directed by four different people. One of them was Tarantino. We all had to see it. Oh yeah, Madonna was in it too. Madonna, Bruce Willis, Marisa Tomei, Selma Hayek, Antonio Banderas, and of course…Tim Roth.
The movie is about Ted the Bellhop on his first day at a hotel. It quickly becomes massively weird and overwhelming for him as each room he visits tangles him into craziness and danger…which I guess is kind of the fun and intrigue of working at a hotel. You truly never know what is going on from room to room.
In one scene, Ted is so frazzled that he accidently walks into a room where life and death is about to play out. Because he was so overwhelmed, he doesn’t notice the situation in time and finds himself playing a central figure to this very challenging ordeal. As he walks right into it, the man with all the cards…who has now been rudely interrupted…turns to Ted with sort of an exhausted, but also a sinisterly happy sneer…as a new toy is now introduced to the program…says, “Let’s not beleaguer the fact that you have no sense of timing. That fact is, you’re here…” Legendary line! All Ted can do is stand as still as possible as the door shuts slowly behind him…fade to black.
That is me this week. Overcooked, running from item to item. Timing a mess... Week slipping away… So, as I release this article to you today…well past the time it should have come out…I can feel it, hear it, sense it, from all of you…
“Let’s not beleaguer the fact that you have no sense of timing. That fact is, you’re here…”
(Door slowly closes…fade to black)
Big Matches Coming Up…
Tuesday, October 14th - Cumberland hosts Westerly - 6:30pm - Westerly in three.
Coventry hosts North Kingstown - 6:30pm - North Kingstown in three.
Thursday, October 16th - North Kingstown hosts East Providence - 6:30pm
Friday, October 17th - Westerly hosts Mt. Hope - 6:30pm
ResV Top 15…
+1 East Providence (12 - 1) - Townies are now at the top of leaderboard. The stretch they are on is premier. They knocked off La Salle, Coventry, and North Kingstown in a row! The NK win was huge as it cemented the idea that anyone coming for the crown has to deal with EP. Kiera Mullen was masterful in the match and continues to stake her claim as the player of the year. Mullen does everything but take tickets for EP. Force at the net, top setter in the league, and a true pain from the service line. Vivian Bernhardt and Ellie Vest are playing their best ball at the moment, while Aliyah Evora is having an all-conference level season in the middle. So, all systems are a go for East Providence…and they’re going to need to be as they travel to NK in week seven to prove they can do it on the road as well.
Epilogue…As most know, I’m not in anyone’s gym as they prepare and play the season out. I get my information from sources across the state and it’s usually officials and fellow coaches giving me small updates as the year goes on. The rest I accumulate through social media, scores, sometimes stats, and write ups. It’s a long, slow, process…taking away some hours from other things I should be doing…but that is the way of it. When you care about something, you put the time in. The labor of love…
With that being said, I would have loved to have been in the East Providence gym three times this season…first, when they lost to Barrington. That moment could have been the doubt creating seed. D2 over a D1 program…passing was an issue…etc. The second would be the practice before hosting North Kingstown this past week. Clearly, the Townies had solid focus for that upcoming event. They had also gone undefeated since the Barrington mess, dispatching La Salle and Coventry, among others.
The third time would have been once the NK match was over and they were victorious, handing the Skippers their first loss in two years…I would have loved to known the words given from Coach Butler as well as the sense of accomplishment from the team. It’s those moments that are truly special in athletics in my opinion.
I know a little how it feels as I did something similar a long time ago. I was coaching the East Greenwich boys volleyball team and we stunned Bishop Hendricken at our barn…it was the first loss they had recorded in two years as well. Coach Harrington would later say, “Obviously I knew a loss was coming at some point as two years is a real long time, but what I enjoyed was that in that match, Coach Reslow made moves and counter moves to what I was doing. I hadn’t seen that in a long time, so here was this chess match I got to be a part of and I loved it.” To this day, it’s still one of my proudest compliments.
When it was over and we stood victorious, my kids were just massively amped and I remember saying something about how proud I was that they came together and did something bigger then themselves. It was a total team effort and we made something real cool happen. That EG team would lose in the final four to a high octane Toll Gate side at the D1 level, but it was a lot of fun working with those guys.
In some ways, that is what it’s all about. Getting a crew together and doing something that hasn’t been done in a while. I don’t know if EP is going to win the whole thing in four weeks. They could. They have as good a shot as anyone. Regardless of what happens, they stopped North Kingstown in week six…when the Skippers hadn’t lost a match in two years…and that alone is an awesome achievement.
—1 North Kingstown (12 - 1) - It was going to happen at some point. Two years is a long time to go without losing… East Providence brought the heat on their home floor and overwhelmed the Skippers. You also have the front runner for player of the year over there and she did work. So, now what? Well, first, it’s a good loss. Better to have this happen now than in the semis or finals. Secondly, it highlighted a lot of what you can work on…passing, defending, scoring. Lastly, it also solidified what you know. Kayleigh Garrepy is right there with Keira Mullen in the player of the year race. Garrepy can score from anywhere and at any time. Maggie Scott and Tayla Schneider are also playing their positions well and giving the Skippers all the reason to think they can still do this. Just need to pass a little better and figure out a way to serve tough enough to keep prime players on their heels. They get to see if they can hold the fort on the team that just made them taste a loss for the first time on Thursday.
Mt. Hope (14 - 0) - The Huskies have held serve to this point. With Lincoln being the toughest team they’ve seen in the last five matches, Mt. Hope goes in to week seven with Pilgrim, Tiverton, and then the big one against Westerly. I did watch some of the Lincoln match and it was interesting to see how it unfolded. Based on, what I have to think are, matchups, Sarah Wilcox floats from pin to Libero and back again. In the Lincoln match, she played Lib and steadied the serve receive as well as the defense. Gianna Lunney runs middle and then sets from the back row, while Mt. Hope has weapons in Margaret Thorp and Leah Marshall doing a lot of the point scoring. Wilcox can become the top weapon when put on the pin, and regardless she always brings pressure with her serving. So, it’s an interesting crew that has not tasted a defeat yet. They’ve had some close ones though, five with Cumberland, Barrington, and Portsmouth… The question is, will Westerly be another five setter that falls the Huskies’ way?
Westerly (15 - 0) - The Bulldogs are charging and ready to make a go at taking the top spot in Division 2. It’s been a long road for Westerly. They’ve scheduled as tough a campaign as they could and they’ve handled all of it with very few dents on the car to show. Now, they have to get through Cumberland tonight, which will be no easy task…and by the time this comes out, we’ll know the result. Still, if they can hand the Clippers a loss, that sets them up for an undefeated showdown with Mt. Hope on Friday. Lost in all of the hustle and bustle of the season is the player of the year campaign being had by Lyla Auth. She is also in the vein of Kiera Mullen as she sets out of the back row and hits in the front. Svea Crawford has had a huge impact for this Westerly side, and sophomores Gemma Fusaro and Ella Reyes have done a nice job in the middle. Add a big senior right side in Annabelle Fowler and you have a team that has all the pieces to make something happen. Update…Westerly swept Cumberland…thus setting up the big one. Should be a fun match, indeed.
La Salle Academy (11 - 3) - As time flies by…and I’m not sure now when this is going to come out…the Rams are holding down the fort and taking care of business. They have wins over Portsmouth, South Kingstown, and the Cranstons…all matches they needed to have. The problem is that they do not have a win against the top three…EP, NK, and Coventry. One could argue that the Rams should be three…but Coventry took them in five at the Oaker barn (I do remember that La Salle beat Coventry in the first match of the season, but that was also the first match of the season). Thus, here La Salle sits. They have one more chance to make a statement before the playoffs as they see NK at the mountain top, but otherwise, they are what they are. That’s not to say what they are is bad…this team can certainly make a run. They have the top Libero in the state in Sofia D’Agostino while Maisy Naff and Sofia Benevides are good pins. I also like the play of middle Erin Tierney as well. Plenty of good pieces to make a serious run…but it’s just not happening for them thus far against the cream of the crop. Playoffs are a different animal though, so we’ll see how it all shakes out then.
Barrington (12 - 3) - Since losing to Westerly a while back, the Eagles have not come close to defeat since. They’ve seen nine teams and all nine succumbed to the Barrington serving barrage. The high notes of the run would be Cumberland, Classical, and Lincoln to be sure. Nonetheless, they’ve battled some injuries and have maintained their poise…it’s all about poise, as one of my old friends used to say, as opposed to Billy Joel’s it’s all about soul… Ok, snapping back to the assignment at hand. The Eagles have Bay View, North Smithfield, and Middletown left…all very winnable matches for this side. Bay View is the most dangerous, but I like Barrington’s chances in that match. Emma McCrann is another player having a player of the year caliber campaign…until an injury…at least that is the rumor. The hope is McCrann is back for the playoffs as in her absence Claudia Leonard has been playing her best volleyball. I also like the two sophomore middles Barrington is running with in Charlotte Farrell and Naima Basse. With everything running on full power and the serving prowess this team has, they will be a handful come playoff time. The question becomes whether McCrann is healthy and what happens if they lose track of their excellence from the line…
+1 Coventry (6 - 5) - As of yesterday, the Oakers have dropped the match with North Kingstown moving their record to 6 - 5… That is a tough one as Coventry had the Skippers in their own barn and couldn’t wrangle away a set. Still, those types of loses are learning opportunities, especially with the playoffs right around the corner. This Coventry team is interesting and they are made up of underclassmen with just a sprinkle of seniors. Their main horse is Emily Spadoni, a sophomore, who they rely on for points and ball control. Saige Hodges is another pin that does work for this crew. Their main accomplishments are wins against La Salle, Portsmouth, and Chariho…Hiccups include East Greenwich and Classical. I think Coventry is the D1 team that no one wants to play. They’re dangerous enough to cause you a headache, especially when the lights are brightest. They have that vibe on them where no matter what is going on around them, they’re going to do what they do…that Manny Ramirez type of vibe is crazy addicting and often times crazy effective.
—1 Cumberland (10 - 6) - Just when you think the Clippers are going to get rolling, the store doesn’t have any milk and all the gas pumps are out of order… Get it? Ok, I promise I won’t make another Cumberland Farms joke…but it is really annoying when you want to fill up on gas and use your smart rewards app, but the Cumby’s you find (and remember you’re on “E”) has all the yellow bags over top the pumps…such a bummer! Cumberland has been on the cusp for a while now, but a win over a top ranked opponent has still alluded them. They take care of business over all the teams they should…they own Lincoln…but the recent losses to Classical and Westerly just make you wonder……….I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I have too…makes your wonder if the coffee maker is broken and the pizza is perhaps a day or two older then it should be. Ugh, I know I promised… Anyway, interestingly enough, this Cumberland side is pretty young. With only four seniors and a boatload of sophomores, these types of seasons are really just learning opportunities anyway. Plus, once it’s all put together, and that can happen at any time, they could be a real handful in the playoffs. Darryl Ashilaka is one of those sophomores who is playing at a high level while Lyla Parmentier is having a great year at the setter position as a junior. Lastly, Mia Hamel is having a great senior season at the Libero spot. They have an interesting date with Bay View coming, but really it’s all now prep for the bright lights.
Lincoln (9 - 4) - The Lions are interesting as it kind of feels that they are having a rough season…but it’s hardly true as their record is none to shabby at all. The double loss to Cumberland hurt and they’ve not had luck against Barrington or Mt. Hope…which you’ll need to beat one of those teams to advance in the playoffs…so maybe that’s why the feel is the way it is. Still, they play scrappy, tough, defense and have moments where they can put you on your heels from the serving stripe. They do get a chance to upend Westerly, but they’ll have to take their turn since Mt. Hope gets first crack at it. Kimi Hickey is a first team all conference Libero and does a lot of the lifting for this crew. Ava Cabral does a nice job on the right while Breanne Bouthilette is a solid option on the left. There are certainly pieces to the puzzle on this team and they have put away plenty of clubs…the ones they should…but like many on the back half of the board, there are question marks about being able to upend the top three, or so, teams in their league…especially since the playoffs are all but here.
Portsmouth (5 - 8) - One may ask, how can you have Portsmouth at 10, when Classical just beat them… That is a valid critique. All I can say is that it’s taken me so long to get this week six report out, that the match on the 14th of October has come and gone…no question that result would shake up this ranking. Such is the life… That score will change the positions of both clubs here to be sure. Portsmouth has been hanging on for dear life and Classical may have struck them a ResV dropping blow…we’ll see. I did feel like they were on the move though, prior to the Classical match. They had beaten Chariho and Prout, while also stealing a set from La Salle. Things were on the up and up, you see. Sophia Champagne took over the setting job this year and has had a nice senior campaign. Audrey Abedon has been one of the top offensive weapons for this club, while Mia Ruggieri has been another solid scorer for the Patriots. It’s certainly been a tough go for Portsmouth this year, however, if they can get the next three, I think they can make their case for the playoffs.
+1 Ponaganset (15 - 0) - It’s real simple…they’ve seen fifteen clubs, they’ve defeated fifteen clubs. I’ll duplicate that sentiment below in the playoff look for week six. How unoriginal, Coach Reslow… Well, what else is there to say? They’ve played all of the playoff level squads and came out victorious. They’ve only lost six sets on the year! Bay View, PCD, Tiverton, Scituate, and Johnston have taken a set. PCD did it twice in both games they played! That PCD side is an interesting squad. The Chieftains can score points with their pin against almost anyone. Zoe Glover and Anna Lafontaine can bring heat at the net. Meanwhile, I like the play of Alyssa Lupo at the Libero spot. Lupo’s serve receive is solid and she makes plenty of digs which allows for counterattacks for her team. Ponaganset also serves pretty tough with few errors. They don’t let their opponents off the hook very often and every chance they get they take a swing. Tough to beat a crew that serves efficiently and consistently take swings on practically every possession they have. Narragansett may be the final threat to them in the regular season, but I just have a feeling this team may be taking it all the way home.
+1 Classical (8 - 7) - Feels like the Purple are hit or miss, which is a natural thing to say about any team that is hovering at .500. When things are clicking, Classical has a premier pin in Amaya Womack and a premier setter in Dara Agramonte leading the Purple to solid outings. Womack is a high flying lefty who can go over blocks as well as around them. I’ve caught a couple matches where Womack has just taken over the game. She blocks well, her serve receive game is solid, and she can make things happen starting the rally as well. Agramonte runs the offense pretty well. She’s very athletic, so she’s able to track down most passes and put up a hittable ball to her attackers. She also plays solid defense and can serve the ball to spots to create uncomfortable situations for the opposition. Classical has notable wins against Portsmouth, Cumberland, and Coventry. They also had some losses that were perplexing such as South Kingstown and Chariho. It all depends on which team shows up, which could be said about all of us, I guess, but with playoffs right around the corner…now is the time to put it all together.
+1 Bay View (10 - 6) - The Bengals are hanging in there and it’s easy to see that this roller-coaster season has been a true adventure for them. Still, they’ve played some pretty good ball of late and have challenged. I watched a little of their match with Westerly and it was contested pretty well. Westerly is a top tier foe and they were able to make some things uncomfortable for the Bulldogs. Recently, they’ve upended West Warwick and Middletown which helps the record and the confidence. The win over West Warwick was a five-set battle and those can be turning point wins for a program. They are actually three for three in five set matches! Bay View is led by Avery Gomes who does a little bit of everything for this side. She is the top point scorer and server, while also managing a lot of the serve receive duties. Bay View also has a solid distributer in Charlotte Didie-Burke. Didie-Burke chases down first touch volleyballs well and can put up hittable targets for her teammates. The Bengals are fighting for a playoff spot and unfortunately their remaining schedule includes Barrington and Cumberland…but if they can knock of one of those two…it could be a springboard into the win or go home rounds!
—3 Chariho (5 - 10) - The Chargers, like Portsmouth, are clinging to the ResV board by the fingertips. It’s certainly been a long road for Chariho this year. Once their premier middle did not return, it became apparent that they’d have to reinvent themselves…which takes time. They are playing better volleyball than they did at the beginning of the season, which is what it’s all about, really. The seasonal goal should always be to improve as the season goes on and then be playing your best volleyball by the end. If you’re able to follow that pattern, it’s generally going to be a pretty successful season. Chariho is led by Abby Tiernan and Olivia Lowell who both set and attack for this squad in their 6/2 formation. The true 6/2 requires both of your right side players to do some heavy lifting by setting in the back row, while passing, blocking, and attacking in the front row. Tiernan has taken on this challenge well and it’s leading to solid performances night in and night out…as has Lowell her counterpart. Chariho has Cranston West, Portsmouth, and East Providence left…getting two out of three would be huge!
—1 Tiverton (11 - 3) - The big matchup came and went, with Tiverton, unfortunately, coming out on the short end of a four-set battle with Ponaganset. Since then, it’s been an adventure for this side. They were able to wrangle a five-set win against Scituate, but then dropped a four-setter to PCD. There is that PCD squad again. Teams have to be wary of them to be sure. Where does that leave Tiverton? Well, they still have 11 wins, which is a lot. So, playoffs are assured, but it does run counter to what I talked about in the Chariho blurb…playing your best volleyball at the end of the season. Sometimes, huge match losses, like the one to Ponaganset, can leave a mark that disrupts the flow you were on…and it takes time to shake it. Tiverton likes to run their offense through the middle when they can. Adysson Amaral and Olivia Pereira provide the pop at the net and have been instrumental getting Tiverton to where they are to date. The Tigers have a couple of dates with Block Island and then a big one with Johnston up next. If they can win out, I think confidence will be restored and the playoff hunt for Ponaganset can be resumed.
Receiving Votes… Toll Gate, Scituate, Woonsocket, Hope, South Kingstown, Johnston, West Warwick
ResV Player of the Week…
Week One - Kiera Mullen - Sr. - East Providence
Week Two - Kayleigh Garrepy - Jr. - North Kingstown
Week Three - Emma McCrann - Sr. - Barrington
Week Four - Darryl Ashilaka - So. - Cumberland
Week Five - Coventry’s Entire Team!
Week Six - Kiera Mullen - Sr. East Providence - Mulled helped lead her team to a four-set victory of North Kingstown at the home barn. Her play was top tier as she was a top point scorer, both from the net and from service line, as well as being the top assist person as well. As noted in the article a couple of times already, NK had not lost a match in two years, so Mullen’s performance along with the team’s result absolutely garners high honors.
ResV Honorable Baller of the Week…
Week One - Tayla Schneider - Jr. - North Kingstown
Week Two - Lyla Parmentier - Jr. - Cumberland
Week Three - Lila Moffit - So. - South Kingstown
Week Four - Amaya Womack - Jr. - Classical
Week Five - Coventry’s Entire Team!
Week Six - Avery Gomes - Sr. - Bay View - It’s been an up and down season for Bay View. New coach, tougher league, and all the craziness that is a season, certainly has taken it’s toll on this club. Still, they are 10-6 and most likely a playoff team with Avery leading the way. Gomes has been the top point scorer for this squad for a couple of years now and this past week she once again led her team in the offensive categories. Her team went 2 - 1 on the week and her level has been the glue this year for the Bengals.
Playoff Races Through Week Six…
D1-
East Providence – Huge Hold of the Fortress against the Skippers…now they have to do it on the road…
North Kingstown – First loss in two years may leave a mark…but they get to try to avenge it quickly in week seven.
La Salle Academy – Feels like they are in limbo at the moment. Need another signature win and soon, and only NK remains…
Coventry – Young and confidant…they already up ended La Salle. However, can they make a dent against the top two?
Portsmouth – Hanging on to that fifth spot, but need the next four matches to bulk up their resume.
D2-
Mt. Hope – Still on top of D2, but Westerly is coming on fast…Friday feels like the match of year for the regular season.
Westerly – Since beating Barrington, they’ve dismissed four D1 schools and Bay View. Can they survive the toughest week of their season with Cumberland (yes already) and Mt. Hope?
Barrington – Similar to La Salle…sort of in a limbo spot, but still executing the gameplan night in and night out.
Cumberland – Classical loss shouldn’t hurt, but it feels like it should hurt. They get to rebound and see if they can derail Westerly’s march…(unfortunately they fell).
Lincoln – Feels like they are in survival mode…
D3-
Ponaganset – Fifteen up, Fifteen down…are you not entertained?
Tiverton – Had a weird loss to PCD which may be a red flag…but otherwise, only Ponaganset has handled them.
Johnston – They’ve lost to Ponaganset twice, but also Scituate…the match on the 21st with Tiverton has the makings of a good one.
Scituate – Another team who has seen Ponaganset twice and not given them a scratch. They also have a weird loss to PCD. Regardless, still a threat, especially come playoff time.
Juanita Sanchez – At least they could handle PCD…lol. I kid. JS is playing their best ball at the moment and I suspect is garnishing a “not excited to see them in the playoffs’ reputation as we round the corner.
D4-
Toll Gate – Since their five-set scare against Pilgrim, it’s been smooth sailing.
Hope – Keeping the pressure on the Titans who they’re excited to see again on the last match of the regular season.
Woonsocket – Coach Ruth getting another team to perform at a pretty high level!
Central – They are one over .500 but also get another crack at Toll Gate and Woonsocket soon to try to shuffle the deck.
North Providence – Doing everything they can to keep Davies at bay.
ResV Coaching Tip of the Week:
Real quick here…the power of rest. Now, this is easy to do, right…hey everyone, take the night off... This is not what I mean. The season is almost over…two weeks to go…so you may want to rest your players and try to get some fresh legs and minds going into the playoffs. This is true. However, do not, in my opinion, just give them days off. You can watch some film with your team or study the game or go over a scouting report… Do something to keep them engaged. These sessions do not need to be two hour slogs either. Half an hour here, an hour there…maybe you pass and serve for half an hour, and then take them into the classroom and watch film for 30 min, followed by a 10 min opponent scouting session. That’s a solid practice right there. Remember to include rest as the season wanes on, but never just give them days off.
ResV Player Tip of the Week:
Leaders understand when to be loony and when to be locked in. Volleyball is fun and should be fun for everyone on the team. However, there are times when players can be too loosey goosey and nothing gets accomplished. There is a time and a place for everything. So, when a coach is talking, or when a drill is in motion, leaders encourage their team to lock in and take in the action or information seriously. This will allow everyone to be on the same page and earn trust with fellow teammates. It’s saying, “Hey, this is important to me, and hopefully you as well, so lets have zany fun at the right moments…but always look to be playing our best volleyball while we’re here.”
NOTE- Thank you to everyone sending me information! This year it’s harder then ever to find stats from matches and obtain relative information. I may not respond to your email, but I am grateful for the data.
To send updates, stories, and players college decisions…or inquire about coffee beans that Coach roasts himself, to Coach Reslow - Scott.Reslow@protonmail.com
Coaches! Please feel free to reach out if interested in scheduling some time to talk shop! I’d love to help your program out!
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