Even though it’s going through a tough season by its own high standards, the Skaneateles girls volleyball team has found some moments to savor.
And none of them was savored more than the Lakers’ match against Solvay on Sept. 25, an old-fashioned classic where it went back and forth, but Skaneateles pulled it out, twice coming from behind and beating the Bearcats in five sets to end a six-match skid.
Each of the first two sets were tight, Skaneateles playing on dead-even terms with Solvay as it dropped the opener 25-23, but fought its way to a 26-24 win in the second set.
Then, in the third set, the Lakers fell by a 25-22 margin, and were on the brink of defeat in the fourth set when it roared back and took the fourth set 25-23. Now more confident than ever, Skaneateles took over in the final set and won it by a healthy 25-16 margin to take the match.
Anna Smith led the Lakers with 11 kills and 15 assists, adding five aces and five digs, but she had plenty of support from her teammates in a fine all-around effort.
Shannon Foehl had eight kills and 16 digs, with Bailey Herr producing a team-best 25 digs to go with seven kills. Kelsey Kraetz managed 12 blocks and six kills as Kelsey Farrell put together five kills, two aces and 13 digs. Mallory Davis also had 13 digs as Emma Goodell added 10 assists and joined Emily Baldwin with four digs apiece.
Nearly a week later, in last Wednesday’s visit to Buckley Gym, Skaneateles lost the Laker battle to Cazenovia in three sets.
They had played Sept. 10, and having lost that match in four sets on its home court, Skaneateles looked to gain an early footing in the rematch, and almost did so in the first set.
But Cazenovia won that set, 26-24, and even though the next two sets were also close and competitive, Skaneateles could not break through, taking 25-21 and 25-20 defeats.
Smith finished with 14 assists and four kills, her passes often going to Kraetz, who had a team-best eight kills and four blocks, and Bailey Herr, who got seven kills.
Helping out on the back line, Foehl had 17 digs to go with her four kills, while Farrell managed three kills. Davis had eight digs as, for Cazenovia, Jenna Britton (28 assists, three aces) and Willa Mihayli-Koch (eight kills, 12 digs) led the way.
In Friday night’s non-league match against Oswego, the Lakers dropped the first two sets by margins of 25-18 and 25-22, and while it won the third set 25-20, it could not carry over that momentum into the fourth set, which the Buccaneers claimed 25-18 to close out the match.
Kraetz picked up 12 kills and nine blocks, while Smith finished with 13 assists and six kills. Foehl put together 11 digs, five kills and four assists as Farrell contributed 12 digs and three kills. Herr (six digs) and Davis (five digs) made their own defensive contributions. Oswego saw Reilly Patrick record 44 assists, her passes often going to Marguerite Dillon, who earned 26 kills.
Skaneateles returns home next week for big back-to-back home matches against LaFayete on Monday and Westhill on Wednesday night.
