As the post-season neared, the area’s girls volleyball teams searched for top form, but Westhill was already there, and not about to let up in its quest for an undefeated regular season.
Even so, that quest got thwarted Thursday night, at Buckley Gym, where Cazenovia, a team the Warriors had swept early in September, got even by twice absorbing Westhill comebacks and still prevailing in five sets.
Cazenovia had won twice during the week, including an epic match with Fayetteville-Manlius (prevailing 33-31 in the fifth set) and also beating Marcellus in three sets a night later.
By comparison, the Warriors were well-rested, but that didn’t help them much early. A big home crowd watched as Cazenovia confidently rolled to a 25-17 first-set victory, and even when Westhill pulled even, 25-18, in the second set, the Lakers rebounded by dominating the third set and prevailing by a 25-14 margin.
Still, the Warriors weren’t done, earning its own 25-14 decision in the fourth set, but all that did was lead Cazenovia to its best volleyball of the night in the decisive fifth set, which produced yet another 25-14 score that went in the Lakers’ favor.
In defeat, Westhill’s Mackenzie Martin had 29 assists, eight kills and 11 digs, while Montana Gedney earned 11 kills and 17 digs as Bridget Lougen finished with 10 kills and three digs. Isabella Radio-Rodriguez gained seven digs and matched Brigid Heinrich’s total of five kills. Leah Diefendorf had 12 digs and Sophia Sgroi got nine digs.
Between her 37 assists and seven digs, Cazenovia’s Lauren Lyons had plenty to do on the back line, helped by Lauren Burbidge, who got 17 digs, and Maleigha Ellithorpe, who earned eight digs as Morgan Hodinger earned 12 digs. Hodinger was a standout on a well-balanced front line, too, earning 11 kills. Molly Carges earned 10 kills and six aces, while Danielle Tedesco provided power thanks to 17 kills and six blocks.
When Marcellus had taken its shot at Cazenovia, the opening set proved crucial. Just as with F-M, the Lakers got the late points, claimed that set 27-25 and went on to tame the Mustangs 25-18 and 25-20 in the next two sets to hint at what it would do against Westhill later in the week.
Margaret Kianka still had eight kills and three aces, while Julia Piorkowski got six kills, plus five digs. Emily Welch and Grace Hoey had three kills apiece and Rachel Randall got three digs as Sydney French picked up 12 assists. Cazenovia got 10 kills from Danielle Tedesco and Molly Carges as Lauren Lyons (12 assists) and Maleigha Ellithorpe (11 assists) led the Lakers’ back line.
While that was going on, Westhill was sweeping Mexico 25-12, 25-19, 25-11. Martin picked up 23 assists, with Gedney and Heinrich each earning seven kills and Heinrich adding six aces. Lougen and Radio-Rodriguez had four kills apiece as Sgroi posted a team-best five digs.
Solvay got involved in a long opening set with Homer last Tuesday night, and it proved costly. The Bearcats lost that set 33-31, and never recovered from it, falling to the Trojans 25-13 and 25-20 in the next two sets.
Mackenzie McCarthy, with 15 assists, and Taylor Preble, with 19 digs, led Solvay’s back line as Allie Posnick got seven assists and eight digs. Brielle Bagozzi had seven digs, but only three kills as Bella Petralito led with nine kills, with Lauren Nichols (five kills) and Ashley Bosco (four kills) close behind.
The Bearcats would prevail 25-6, 25-22, 25-10 over Phoenix two nights later, led by Petralito, who had 11 kills and 13 digs, and Bagozzi, who got 10 kills and six digs. McCarthy had 12 assists, five aces and six digs as Posnick earned nine assists, four aces and six digs. Preble earned 15 digs.
Jordan-Elbridge went to Mexico Thursday and won in four sets, claiming the first two sets 25-22 and 25-16, and though it just missed a sweep with a 25-23 defeat in the third set, the Eagles rolled through the Tigers 25-13 in the fourth to close it out.
Emily Klock provided power for J-E with 12 kills and five blocks, along with 12 digs. Jane Strife set a tone with nine aces, adding 10 digs and four kills as Bailey Van Gorden got 22 assists, plus six digs. Renee Eggleston had five kills as Cassie Schader put together seven digs, three aces and two kills.
