A solid season for the West Genesee girls volleyball team got better in a hurry.
The Wildcats seemed to earn all of the crucial points in last Wednesday’s match against Oswego, and it led to a dramatic five-set victory over the previously unbeaten Buccaneers.
WG made its case known by winning the opening set 25-21. Even though Oswego claimed the second set by that same margin and threatened to move ahead in the third set, the Wildcats, at 25-25, broke the tie and claimed that set 27-25.
This allowed WG to have a poor fourth set (the Bucs won it big, 25-12) and regroup for the final set. Again, it was close, but at 24-23, Jesse Allen, with her 10th block of the night, picked up the clinching point and the Wildcats had a 25-23 win.
Aside from those blocks, Allen also managed seven kills and four aces, working with Christina Holzhauer, who had 12 kills, four aces and 18 digs. Brianna Richardson (seven kills), Grace Osterdale (six kills) and Emily Scaia (five kills) helped on the front line.
On the back line, Elle Swete, with 19 assists, and Kara Sweeney, with 15 assists, ably split duties as the pair combined for 14 digs, too. Lynn Copeland managed 27 digs. Oswego, in defeat, saw Alexa Healy record 50 assists in front of Margo Dillon (16 kills), Erica Atkins (14 kills) and Bella Winklestine (12 kills).
Before this, the Wildcats swept past Corcoran 25-16, 25-22, 25-10. Allen served up six aces as she, along with Holzhauer, Jessica Hillery and Alia Hildebrandt, posted five kills apiece. Grace Osterdale added four kills as Lynn Copeland managed 12 digs. Sweeney had 16 assists and five digs.
Westhill continued its unbeaten run in last Tuesday’s match at Phoenix, where it played three steady sets and swept the Firebirds 25-16, 25-15, 25-22.
Again, Katie McGraw was a defensive standout, recording 17 digs. Kelsey Matukas added seven digs as Annaleigh Gedney produced 12 assists, two blocks and four digs. Delaney Martin had a team-best six kills, while Abby Bornstein had three kills, two aces and five digs.
Marcellus had its own sweep in last Tuesday’s match against fall newcomer Jamesville-DeWitt, rolling through the first two sets 25-15 and 25-13 before completing the sweep 25-22 in the third set.
Allie Massara set the pace for the Mustangs with seven kills and 11 digs. Devan Landers and Hannah O’Brien each had five kills, with Landers adding five blocks.
Brittney Valentine, who had 10 digs, and Jennie Delia, who finished with nine digs, aided on the defensive side. Anna Smith got nine assists. Jessica Cost managed seven assists, three kills and two aces.
In Friday’s meet at Cazenovia, the Mustangs split the first two sets, but used that defeat in the second to take full command as it blazed past the Lakers 25-18, 20-25, 25-8, 25-11.
Massara, with 27 digs, and Valentine, with 25 digs, both excelled in keeping points alive. Cost did it all with 16 assists, five kills, four aces and seven digs, while Smith added seven assists. Landers put away nine kills as O’Brien added five kills and Delia earned 10 digs.
Solvay earned its second win of the season last Tuesday against Bishop Ludden, needing just three sets to put away the Gaelic Knights 25-14, 25-8, 25-20.
Jackie Gardner was versatile for the Bearcats, earning eight assists, five kills, four digs and two aces. Jackie Allen helped with four kills, three aces and seven digs, while Leslie Santos-Gonzalez had three kills and four digs. Lauren Bandera had three assists. On Ludden’s side, Cassie Griglock had four kills and Jill Kompf added five assists.
The third win followed, in a five-set battle with Mexico. Solvay won the first set 25-18 and third set 25-21, only to see the Tigers pull out 25-23 decisions in the second and four sets to send it to the wire, where the Bearcats pulled it out 25-22.
Bandera had a triple-double of 11 kills, 11 assists and 17 digs. Gardner amassed 20 assists and 18 digs, while Santos-Gonzalez managed 32 digs and six aces. Allen put together eight aces, nine kills and six digs as Brenna Poli got seven kills, four aces and 15 digs. Nicole Cimino added six kills.
