Now that the preliminaries were behind them, the Skaneateles girls volleyball team could shift its focus to trying to knock off rivals and top OHSL Liberty division contenders, neither of which proved easy.
Up against Marcellus last Tuesday night, the Lakers fell in four sets, and what made it more alarming was that things had started out so well, Skaneateles dominating the first set to the tune of a 25-13 win.
But the Mustangs opened the second set on a 6-1 run, fending off all of the Skaneateles charges to win that set 25-19. Then, in the third set, the teams traded slim leads until the Mustangs got in front at the midway point, ultimately hanging on to win 25-20.
During a tense fourth set, both sides made runs, but then Skaneateles took a 24-23 lead and had a serve to force a fifth set. Marcellus saved that point, and at 26-26 regained the serve, able to get the two points it needed to close out the match, 28-26.
Jessica Patalino still had eight kills and nine blocks to pace the Lakers’ front line. Emily Baldwin added four kills and nine digs, with Emma Goodell notching six aces and 23 digs. Cassidy Pitman (six assists, four digs) and Karah Blair (five assists, seven digs) had solid showings, too. Blair and Sarah Delasin both got seven digs.
Meanwhile, Marcellus setter Olivia Quick picked up 26 assists, benefiting the duo of Margaret Kianka (10 kills) and Katherine Sauro (eight kills) on the front line as Rachel Randall added 10 digs. Emily Welch got three aces and three kills as Meghan O’Brien earned four kills. Julia Piorkowski had six digs, three aces and three kills.
After all this, Skaneateles had to confront unbeaten, defending Section III Class champion Westhill on Thursday night. Only the second set proved a close one for the Lakers, who could not keep up with the Warriors in a 25-6, 25-20, 25-15 defeat.
Goodell did manage seven digs and two aces, with Blair adding three aces. Patalino got three digs and two blocks as Mia Grasso was the only Laker to earn two kills. For Westhill, Mackenzie Martin had 18 assists and five kills, her passes often going to Bridget Lougen, who led the Warriors with 10 kills.
A match with LaFayette, scheduled for last Friday, was moved to Monday night, right before Skanetaeles has its Laker duel with Cazenovia at home Tuesday and a Thursday match at Syracuse’s Institute of Technology Central.
