ONONDAGA COUNTY – It seems that the mere sight of an opponent in green would remind the Baldwinsville girls volleyball team of what it possessed for so long and what it wants back.
A year ago, it was Fayetteville-Manlius that took full advantage of the Bees’ shocking semifinal exit from the Section III Class AA playoffs and ended up claiming the sectional title.
So when the Hornets arrived at Baker High School last Monday night, it was greeted by a focused and hungry B’ville squad that took just three sets to complete its winning task.
The 25-20, 25-14, 25-17 sweep included Kyrah Wilbur putting away 18 kills as part of a front line where Amelia Hahn managed 10 kills. Erin Gregoire and Madelyn Diep had four kills apiece.
Madison MacKiag, quickly settling into her role as the Bees’ setter, gained 30 assists, while Madalyn Gulich got six assists. Sadie Phelps had 11 digs and Diep added six digs.
Two nights later, B’ville handled Henninger 25-8, 25-10, 25-10, with Gulich getting five aces and nine assists. Sophia Connor added four aces and got a team-best six kills, Hahn adding five kills and Nela Loftin four kills. MacKaig contributed seven assists.
Baldwinsvlle’s boys volleyball team, still in search of its first win in 2022, did not get it against Living Word Academy last Tuesday night, falling to the reigning sectional Division II champion Lions 25-20, 25-19, 25-20.
Competitive en each set, the Bees saw Brendan Micho earn 12 assists. Ethan Davenport had a team-best four kills, with Anthony Hildreth adding three kills. Caleb Way, Brayden Kudarauskas and Gibson Boudov had two kills apiece.
In Thursday night’s 25-20, 25-11, 25-16 defeat to Jamesville-DeWitt, Kudarauskas had five kills and five digs, with Way getting four kills and two aces. Davenport added three kills, Micho picking up 11 assists.
B’ville did pick up a set from Saturday’s match against East Syracuse Minoa, prevailing 25-23 to avert yet another sweep as the Spartans took the first two sets 25-14 and 25-20, plus a 25-20 fourth set, too.
Kudarauskas set a new season mark with 10 kills. Xzavier Vanderstow had five kills, with Way adding four kills and Micho earning 20 assists. ESM got 15 kills from Cole Thomas, 13 kills from Tristan Henderson and 40 assist from Donovan Randall.
