Strong in nearly aspect of the game, the Canastota girls volleyball team began yet another championship quest.
Head coach Marcia Laidlaw’s Raiders toyed with Cooperstown in last Wednesday night’s opener, taking just three games to subdue the Redskins 25-12, 25-14, 25-22.
Denae Rinaldo supplied a good share of that power at the net, earning 11 kills as Caitlin Rounds got six kills and Hailey Chandler picked up five blocks.
Again displaying her unsurpassed all-around talent, Jessica Patterelli began her junior season with 18 assists, to go with seven kills and three aces. Tracy O’Hearn had three kills, two aces and two blocks.
Canastota went 21-2 a season ago, dominating the Center State Conference before taking a painful loss to Cazenovia in the Section III Class B semifinals.
Bent on going further, the Raiders followed up that win against Cooperstown by handling Sherburne-Earlville in Friday’s home opener, rolling past the Marauders 25-9, 25-8, 25-12.
Patterelli finished with 19 assists, plus six aces and three kills. Rinaldo picked up eight kills and four aces, while O’Hearn and Tessa Gaglianese each got four kills.
Meanwhile, Hamilton and Morrisville-Eaton each opened CSC play on Friday night — the Emerald Knights sweeping Sauquoit Valley, the Warriors falling to Mount Markham.
In the Emerald Knights’ 25-23, 25-20, 25-20 win over Sauquoit, each game proved close, but Hamilton earned all the key points at the end of games. Tiffany Jones-Maxwell had 11 kills, seven digs, three blocks and four assists, while Valaya Lalonde had 10 assists and Brook Mecca earned eight kills.
M-E was close in each of the first two games against Mount Markham, but lost by scores of 25-19 and 25-22 before the Mustangs dominated the third game 25-10. Taylor Gallup, in defeat, had seven assists, with Gabby Lake adding three aces and three kills.
