Unaccustomed to deficits this fall, the Skaneateles girls volleyball team faced one Thursday night at Westhill, and handled it with style.
The Lakers won the highly anticipated matchup of Class B girls’ volleyball teams Thursday, nipping the host Warriors in four sets in an entertaining contest.
Westhill won the first set, 25-21, but Skaneateles swept the next three sets by close margins of 25-23, 25-22, and 25-22. The Lakers improved to 12-0, while the Warriors fell to 11-1.
“That was very good volleyball,” Skaneateles coach Doreen Doctor said. “That’s the best way to describe it, two very good teams going at it. There were great plays both ways.”
Westhill won the first set in come-from-behind fashion. The Warriors trailed 18-13 before running off eight straight points. It was the first set the Lakers lost all season.
“We came out a little bit slow and the girls struggled,” Doctor said. “Losing that first set, I think it gave us a gut check. I think the seniors dug deep.”
The second set looked a lot like the first. The Lakers led 20-12 only to see the hosts come back again. Westhill won 10 of the next 11 points to take a 22-21 lead. Only this time, the Lakers didn’t give in, as it won four of the next five points to pull even in the match.
The third set featured four lead changes. The Lakers took the lead for good at 15-14, but never led by more than two points until winning it 25-22.
Westhill looked set on extending the match by the way it started the fourth set. The Warriors notched the first three points, and four of the initial five.
The Lakers hung tough, never falling behind by more than five points (11-6 and 16-11). Skaneateles finally pulled even at 19, and took its first lead at 23-22. The visitors were in no mood to play anymore, easily winning the last two points.
Laker senior Julianna Augustine starred for the winners. Augustine had 18 kills and seven blocks.
“She got the job done when it had to be done,” Doctor said.
Junior Malorie Olin had eight blocks and four kills. Senior Jo Anna Dean finished with 21 digs. Senior Sidney Lawson had 16 assists, while junior Casey VanSlyke finished with 16 digs.
The match had a playoff feel to it from the outset. There won’t be many surprised to see the Warriors and Lakers meet again in a late round Section III Class B playoff match less than a month from now.
“It was a great match. Point for point all the way through,” Westhill coach Carrie Butler said. “Hopefully we’ll play (Skaneateles) again some time.”
“It would not surprise me at all to see Westhill,” Doctor said. “And it would be great volleyball.”
Two nights earlier, Skaneateles had remained unbeaten at home, sweeping Fulton by scores of 25-16, 25-11 and 25-15.
Dean’s fine all-around effort included 10 digs, three aces, three kills, three assists and two blocks. Lawson backed up her 21 assists with a team-best seven digs, adding two aces and two kills. Augustine continued to dominate on the front line, earning 11 kills, six blocks and three digs. Natalie Roche added four kills and three digs, with Kelsey Farrell contributing three kills.
