Even before the temperatures could cool down, girls volleyball teams from Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool rolled into their 2018 regular-season slate – and didn’t waste any time facing each other.
The neighborhood rivalry resumed Wednesday night and did not disappoint as the Northstars twice fell behind, twice came back and ultimately beat the Warriors in five sets.
Liverpool, making its season debut, dominated the first set 25-11, but didn’t follow it up as C-NS took the second 25-17. Each of the next two sets proved closer, the Warriors winning the third 25-22, but the Northstars prevailing in the fourth by that same margin.
So it came down to a fifth set, and this one went back and forth, each side moving close to victory until, at 25-25, C-NS gained the serve and held on to it, winning the match 27-25.
Through it all, Kim Barry, with 17 assists, and Jennifer Carl, with 15 assists, anchored the Northstars’ front line as Barry added seven kills and four digs.
Gracie Gleason gave C-NS a team-best eight kills, with Brooke Nicolaos earning six kills. Brooke Segars had four kills and three aces as Adrianna Huston picked up three kills and McKenna LaPorte earned 15 digs.
Liverpool featured Sydney Caviness (20 assists) and Avery Marcy (19 assists) on its back line as Marcy added five kills. Up front, Sarah Ayling had 12 kills, with Marissa Baskin adding 10 kills and Delaney Johnson eight kills. Morgan Micholvitch contributed seven assists.
C-NS opened the night before at Central Square, and rolled to a sweep, taking the first set 25-17 and then dominating the second set 25-11 before closing out the Redhawks 25-19 in the third.
Along with a team-best nine assists, Carl got three aces as Segars recorded four aces. Emily Overend earned eight kills and Barry got seven assists, with Nicolaos and McKenna Johnston gaining three kills apiece.
Now at 2-0 following the win over Liverpool, C-NS has a good chance to double that win streak against Henninger and Nottingham next week before a key Sept. 19 match with Baldwinsville.
