Despite the fact that its neighbors have switched to fall schedules, the girls volleyball programs at East Syracuse Minoa, Christian Brothers Academy and Manlius-Pebble Hill maintain a winter schedule, which means that its post-season horizons are limited to winning Section III titles.
The effort for ESM began last Monday night, at Whitesboro, where it lost in four sets. After dropping the first set 25-20, the Spartans won a 25-18 decision in the second set, only to have the Warriors take over and claim the third and fourth sets by equal 25-18 margins.
Aubrey Williams finished with 15 assists, her passes often going to Gillianne McCarthy, who got eight kills. Arrica Williams added three kills and a team-best eight digs as Claire Maring and Sophia Zacharek got five digs apiece. Isabella Talarico had three assists.
Whitesboro saw Cameron Boehlert earn 16 kills as Meghan Herrmann gained 19 assists, six kills, five digs and three aces. Erin Herrmann earned 16 assists and four digs as Marissa Burke and Jessica Blaszak both had six kills of their own. Paige Porta had five aces and nine digs.
Hosting Cortland one night later, ESM won the first set 25-20 and lost the second set 25-16. Following a 25-21 victory in the third sets, the Spartans were extended well past the limit in the fourth set by the Purple Tigers, but pulled it out, 29-27, to prevent it from going to a fifth set.
Zacharek worked her way to 11 kills, adding five digs as Talarico got 16 assists. McCarthy and Aubrey Williams had five kills apiece and Meghan Mulligan contributed three kills. Maring (eight digs) and Arrica Williams (nine digs) led the defense. Cortland lost despite 13 kills and 11 digs from Kacie Hubbard, 47 digs from Kristin Bush and 25 assists and 12 dig from Chloe Bush.
That same night, MPH made its season debut against Onondaga, and it proved a thriller. Twice, the Trojans went ahead, winning the first set 25-16 and the third set 25-18, and twice the Tigers rallied, dominating the second set 25-8 and the fourth set in a similar manner by a 25-12 margin.
But in the final set, MPH pulled out the closest decision, 25-20. On the OCS side, Rayna Pouliot had nine kills and 14 digs, while Julia Wachna had six kills. Samantha Geis got 23 assists as Malone Berry (10 digs, three aces, two kills) and Rebecca Mack (nine digs, four aces) contributed to the Tigers’ cause.
Perhaps weary from this battle, MPH had a different result Thursday with Cortland than ESM did. The Trojans won the opening set 25-22, but dropped close 25-21 and 25-22 decisions in the next two sets before the Purple Tigers closed it out 25-15 in the fourth, led by Kristin Bush’s 30 digs and Chloe Bush’s 25 assists.
CBA also won its season opener Wednesday night, taking four sets to beat the Pulaski Blue Devils.
Kristen DeLorenzo, with eight digs and three aces, led the Brothers as Grace Glowacki also got three aces. Sydney Congel, Logan Congel and Jillian Hopkins had four kills apiece as Liz Hucko got 11 assists and Anna Jenkins earned four assists. Catherine Burns finished with four digs.
Metting Fabius-Pompey Friday night, CBA lost the opening set in a lopsided 25-13 manner, but quickly recovered to top the Falcons 25-21 in each of the next two sets before a 25-18 victory in the fourth set closed it out.
Sydney Congel put away nine kills and seven blocks, helped on the front line by Burns, who mixed in seven kills and five aces, plus five digs. Jenkins settled into her back-line duties and earned 16 assists as DeLorenzo amassed 14 digs.
