CENTRAL NEW YORK – Though it started a bit later than the other two area winter girls volleyball programs, Christian Brothers Academy did not let any delay affect how it played on the court.

The Brothers were dominant in last Monday’s opener at Pulaski, sweeping it in three sets as beat the Blue Devils 25-17 in the opening set, 25-11 in the second set and 25-14 in the third set.

Carleah Morgia kept piling up points at the net until she head earned 16 kills, adding a pair of aces. Neveah Bacheyie had six kills, with Kate Radford adding four assists and Josie Lachut dishing out 15 assists. Rachel Zdep added six assists as Julie Zdeep joined Bacheyie getting three aces.

CBA won again on Friday night sweeping Port Byron 25-12, 25-7, 25-23. The lopsided start included three aces apiece from Bacheyie and Morgia, who combined for 20 kills fed by Lachut and her 22 assists.
East Syracuse Minoa rebounded from a season-opening defeat to Rome Free Academy Dec. 2 by going to Camden last Monday and dismantling the Blue Devils in a 25-20, 25-17, 25-18 sweep.

Consistent and solid, ESM got 19 assists from Kristina Lekovich and 16 digs from Leah Rehm while, up front, Erin Murnane’s 11 kills led a group which also had Morgan Palmer get seven kills, Katelyn Davis six kills, Victoria Marano five kills and Avery Wood four kills.

Then ESM challenged defending sectional Class A champion New Hartford on Thursday night and nearly won this Spartans clash, the battle going to five sets.

Showing it could contend here, ESM won a tight opening set 25-23, then dropped the next two sets 25-20 and 25-19 before pulling back even 25-21 in the fourth.

But in the final-set race to 15 points New Hartford took it 15-10, led by Keegan Matthews’ 25 kills and 27 digs and Claire Colantuoni getting 53 assists to go with 20 digs. Ashlee Fisher had 40 digs and Riley Heenan 34 digs.

Leah Rehm produced 32 digs on ESM’s side as Levkovich got 19 assists and Bailey Rehm 10 assists. Up front, Palmer and Wood each finished with 13 kills, helped by nine kills from Davis and seven kills from Murnane.

Manlius Pebble Hill was swept last Tuesday by Cincinnatus in its season opener, overwhelmed 25-4 in the first set before 25-19 and 25-21 Lions wins in the next two sets. Allyson St. Germain gave Cincinnatus 10 kills as Kaedence Latta had 19 assists.

Another three-set defeat followed on Wednesday night, only it was Port Byron topping MPH 25-15, 25-23, 25-22 as the Trojans dropped its second straight match since a Dec. 6 win over Pulaski.