Twelve of Section III’s top girls volleyball teams made it to Canastota for Tuesday’s annual Laidlaw Invitational, where the hosts kept the top prize right in their grasp.
Posting the best round-robin record with a perfect 10-0 mark, the Raiders won the Laidlaw Pool, while Oneida had to fight off three different opponents to win the Dimao pool.
Each of the two pools had six memebers, so that meant five two-set matches. Canastota wasted little time taking over its division, earning wins over Vernon-Verona-Sherrill, Old Forge, Sauquoit Valley and Lowville.
All that was left was a final showdown with Camden, who was 7-1 in the tournament. Led again by tournament MVP Jessica Patterelli, Canastota beat the Blue Devils by scores of 25-12 and 25-14 to complete its unblemished run.
VVS finished 3-7 in the Laidlaw pool, as Stephanie Siriano joined the Raiders trio of Patterelli, Stephanie Thornton and Melissa Krak on the All-Tournament team.
In the Dimao pool, Oneida and Chittenango were tied with matching 6-2 marks going into the final round, with New Hartford and Dolgeville close.
Head-to-head, the Indians proved better than the Bears, winning in a pair of 25-20 game, the latter including Oneida getting the last four points to secure first place.
Carley Parker garnered MVP honors for Oneida, with Audra Boehm and Paige Pendleton also gaining All-Tournament honors. Rachel Antelmi represented Chittenango on the All-Tournament team.
The final standings:
Laidlaw Pool – Canastota 10-0, Camden 7-3, Old Forge 5-5, Lowville 4-6, Vernon-Verona-Sherrill 3-6, Sauquoit Valley 1-9
Dimao Pool – Oneida 8-2, New Hartford 7-3, Dolgeville 7-3, Chittenango 6-4, Living Word Academy 2-8, Adirondack 0-10
