Every year since 2010, the Baldwinsville girls volleyball season has ended at Glens Falls Civic Center – and it will again.
The Bees secured yet another berth in the state Class AA championship tournament on Saturday with a three-set sweep over Section II champion Shenendehowa in the regional final at Cicero-North Syracuse High School.
Much like the Section III final against West Genesee in this same C-NS gym earlier in the week, Shen offered a brief glimpse of a scare as it played B’ville on even terms, 8-8, early in the first set. Then the Bees rattled off 11 of the next 12 points, and from there it was a cruise as B’ville took the opener 25-13.
Again, the two sides were tied at 8-8 in the second set, but the difference was that the Plainsmen hung around much longer, trading points until it was 16-16, making the Bees use another of its rare time-outs. Whatever was said by Cerqua worked again, as B’ville went on a 6-2 run to move in front for good and won that set 25-21.
Starting the third set on a 5-0 run, the Bees saw that Shen would hang around, but never catch up. The margin dipped to a single point, 16-15, but B’ville never got caught, getting three straight points at a key moment and then closing out the Plainsmen 25-21.
Meghann Smith put together 29 assists and helped on the front line, too, with five kills to go with two aces.
Madison Whitney fell off a bit from her West Genesee total of 16 kills, but still led the Bees with nine kills, adding three assists, while Rachel Aielllo had six kills.
Amanda May had five kills and Jelissa Voyer contributed four kills as libero Caryn Salce, aside from her five digs, picked up four aces and three assists.
Now, for the fourth consecutive year, B’ville is on the way to Glens Falls in pursuit of a state AA championship.
The Bees start pool play next Saturday at 3 p.m. against Rochester Mercy (whom it lost to in last year’s state final), John Jay-East Fishkill (Section I) and Massapequa (Section VIII), with the best two totals through six sets advancing to Sunday’s 2 p.m. state final.
