Each time the Solvay and Westhill girls volleyball teams get together, the intensity cannot be masked or contained.
Better yet, the quality of play is terrific, as was displayed in last Tuesday night’s showdown at Westhill’s gym, where the Bearcats jumped out to a 2-0 lead in sets, missed out on multiple chances to close out the match, but hung in there and survived a five-set classic to beat the Warriors.
When they had first met three weeks earlier, on Sept. 9 at Solvay, Westhill controlled the contest most of the way and won in four sets. Exactly three weeks later, it was quickly apparent that the rematch would take on a different tone.
Contesting every shot and playing superb defense, Solvay grabbed the opening set 25-20. Then, in a tight second set, each side had chances, but it was the Bearcats breaking the 25-25 tie and then getting the decisive point to win, 27-25, and take a two-set advantage.
Then, in the third set, Solvay was two points from a sweep before Westhill, just in time, pulled it out, 26-24. As if that wasn’t stressful enough, the fourth set veered between set points and match points but, again, the Warriors got the serve and held on to it, 28-26.
And that set up a fifth set where, incredibly, they would go beyond the wire again. It went to 24-24 before the Bearcats earned the serve and, on match point, managed to close it out, 26-24.
Through the long battle, Lauren Bandera did a bit of everything for Solvay, getting 18 kills, 19 assists and 33 digs. Just as valuable, Jackie Gardner mixed in 31 assists with 26 digs and 12 kills.
Leading the Bearcats’ front line, Jackie Allen piled up 26 kills, adding 26 digs and a team-best six aces. Monica Watkins had seven kills, five blocks and five digs, with Kseniya Myalik adding 43 digs, five kills, three aces and three assists. Michaela Marotti had five aces and 36 digs.
There were plenty of standouts on Westhill’s side, too, from Mackenzie Martin, who managed 36 assists, 36 digs and four kills, to Melissa Newcomb, who managed 19 kills and 17 digs.
Solvay, with the win, improved to 6-4 on the season, while Westhill fell to 7-3.
