It did not take too long for the Canastota girls volleyball team to test itself on several different fronts.
The Raiders, still working under long-time head coach Marcia Laidlaw, bring back veterans like Jessica Patterelli, Tracy O’Hern, Katelyn Rounds and Samantha McCarthy from a squad that, last winter, won 19 straight matches before falling to Cazenovia in the Section III Class B semifinals.
As for Canastota’s 2010-11 campaign, it commenced last Saturday with an appearance in the Beaver River Tournament, where it went 2-1.
In round-robin play, the Raiders went 2-1 against over Lowville (25-7, 18-25, 25-16) and swept Carthage 25-16, 25-11, 25-17, but lost to Beaver River. In that match, Canastota got crushed in the first game 25-7, but won the second game 25-17 before the Beavers took the third game 25-23.
Overall, Patterelli had 23 assists, 14 kills, eight digs and four aces, with O’Hern adding 13 kills and six digs. Both garnered All-Tournament Team selections as Rounds contributed 13 kills and 10 digs.
On Monday night, the Raiders took a much shorter trip, to Oneida, and had to make two comebacks to beat the Indians in a five-game classic.
Canastota lost the opening game 25-16, only to dominate the second game 25-9 to pull even. When Oneida claimed the third game by that same 25-16 margin, the Raiders responded with steady play in the fourth game, winning it 25-19 to send the match to the limit.
This time, the momentum remained, and Canastota took the fifth game 25-20. Patterelli, before it was done, had 18 assists, adding seven kills and nine digs, while Melissa Krak stepped up with seven kills, four aces and four assists. Stephanie Thornton added six kills.
As for Oneida, Lena Reginelli had 26 assists and six kills as Shannon Dowling finished with 20 assists, six kills and 10 digs. Paige Pendleton had 15 kills, six blocks, four aces and three digs, while Carley Parker had 14 digs and nine kills.
Canastota won again on Thursday, sweeping Sauquoit Valley 25-11, 25-16, 25-19. Patterelli mixed in 16 assists, six kills and four digs as Thornton got five kills and Rounds added four kills. O’Hern had four blocks and three kills, with Hallie Chandler stepping in to earn three blocks.
When Vernon-Verona-Sherrill played on Wednesday night, it rallied from two games down, plus a deficit in the third game, to stun Holland Patent in five.
HP rolled through the opening game 25-14, then pulled out a 25-23 win in the second game and was ahead, 19-16, in the third, ready for a sweep.
A single spiking error turned things around, though, and the Red Devils, with eight straight points, claimed that game 25-20. Inspired, VVS overcame a 9-7 deficit in the fourth game and pulled even, 25-20, then made one more rally in the final game.
Down 20-19, VVS won five of the next six points to get to the brink of victory. HP twice fought off match point, but on the third try Stephanie Siriano’s kill gave the Red Devils the 25-23 win.
Siriano, overall, had eight kills, five digs and four aces, with Alyssa Durant gaining 10 kills. Rebecca Przybylski got eight assists and four aces as Katelyn Bowers chimed in with seven assists and four aces. Tamara Beal contributed eight digs.
But the Red Devils would not be as fortunate against archrival Oneida Friday night, losing a 25-12, 25-8, 25-9 decision to the Indians.
Up front, Pendleton, with 11 kills, and Reginelli, with seven kills, kept Oneida in charge throughout the match. Candra Connelly added four aces, six digs and two kills as Dowling recorded 13 assists and Melissa Murawski earned five assists.
Canastota, meanwhile, completed an undefeated week by sweeping Mount Markham 25-7, 25-13, 25-8. Patterelli hit double digits in both assists (13) and kills (11), while Rounds had six kills, five aces and five digs. Thornton added nine assists and five kills as the Raiders’ win streak hit three.
Hamilton finally got to open its season on Friday, beating Stockbridge Valley 25-11, 25-11, 25-14. Hannah Sorosky earned four kills, with Rachel Holcomb contributing four aces and three assists. Morgan Brooks had six digs.
Morrisville-Eaton has a unique situation, as Brian Ellithorpe took over as head coach. He had time to do so because Cazenovia, whom Ellithorpe has led to a pair of Section III Class B championships, moved its season to the fall.
Still, the Warriors lost its opener to Cooperstown 25-12, 25-22, 25-18. In defeat, Rachel Morris had 14 assists and four kills, with Ashley Kincaid and Jessica Chandler each earning seven kills.
