Always rivals, Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool made their first varsity athletic encounter of the 2010-11 school year a great one.
The girls volleyball showdown Thursday night between the Northstars and Warriors went to the wire, with CNS erasing a 2-1 deficit to prevail in five games.
It all started with the visiting Northstars claiming the first game 25-18, but Liverpool countered by winning the second game by that exact same margin.
A close, tense third game followed. Though the Warriors edged out a 26-24 win, it could not carry that momentum into the fourth game, where CNS pulled even again with a 25-22 decision.
In the fifth and final game, it again proved tight, but once more the Northstars had the last surge and won the match in another 25-22 verdict.
Lindsey Silfer seemed to do everything for CNS, managing 14 assists on the back line and, while up front, adding six kills and five blocks. Amy Van Hoven added 10 assists, five kills and two digs.
Carly Rebecchi matched Silfer’s six-kill output, just ahead of Jenna Tartaro, who had five kills. Adrianna Patzer had six blocks and three kills as Cara Gannett, a standout on last winter’s state Class AA girls basketball team at CNS, added three kills and three blocks.
In defeat, Liverpool saw Dorothy Rosekrans amass 15 kills and 22 digs, with Stephanie Mumpton contributing 10 kills and 20 digs. Meghan Stonebarger, with 19 assists and 10 digs, and Katie Rowell, with 15 assists and five kills, worked on the back line as Rachel Ruggaber provided stellar defense, gaining 39 digs.
As this went on, the CNS boys volleyball team, beginning the defense of its Class AA title, spent far less time on the court in its opener, going to Fayetteville-Manlius and sweeping past the Hornets 25-17, 25-18, 25-22.
Billy Werksman produced a team-best 12 kills for the Northstars, with Geoff Holmes and Joel Brousseau adding seven kills apiece and Alex Brodhead producing six kills. Justin Collins fed all of them by earning 31 assists as Holmes added four digs and four aces.
