After a season-opening defeat to Whitesboro, the East Syracuse Minoa girls volleyball team has proven difficult to catch.

The Spartans’ win streak reached three last Monday night, against Central Valley Academy, where once it got past a close first set, ESM put away the Thunder in a 25-21, 25-11, 25-12 sweep.

Shaina Brilbeck not only registered 21 assists, she had eight aces, dominating the back line as Olivia Fortuno led the Spartans at the net with seven kills and four blocks, plus three aces.

Helping Fortuno up front, Gillianne McCarthy gained five kills, while Skyler Mahoney and Megan Travis had four kills apiece. Riley Abbott contributed two aces and two kills.

In Thursday night’s match against Cortland, the first two sets were routine for ESM as it won them 25-15 and 25-12, but the Purple Tigers surprised the Spartans 25-20 in the third set to prolong it.

Mad at this, ESM rolled through the fourth set 25-9 to earn the win as Abbott got 10 kills and 13 digs, with Fortuno adding six kills. McCarthy and Mahoney had five kills apiece, McCarthy adding three aces and six digs as Brilbeck amassed 21 assists. Franchesca Polcaro contributed seven digs and three kills.

Christian Brothers Academy had won its first two matches of the season and were ready to challenge itself against defending sectional Class B champion Chittenango last Monday night.

However, the Bears proved far too tough, roaring to a 25-9 win in the first set and then taking the next two sets by equal 25-18 margins as Savannah Penoyer and Tyla Cutrie had 12 kills apiece and combined for eight aces. Shelby Maring added 12 assists, three aces and three kills.

CBA would look to bounce back Thursday night at Port Byron, and it looked like that would happen – until a stunning turnaround led to a five-set defeat to the Panthers.

Solid efforts in the first two sets allowed the Brothers to win them 25-18 and 25-20. Then, in the third set, Port Byron prevailed 25-20, and in a tense fourth set CBA got within inches of claiming the match, only to have the Panthers take it 25-23.

Port Byron then won the final set 25-19 as Rileigh Gray led them, finishing with 19 assists, five kills and five aces. Cassie Nolte had eight kills and three aces, with Jessica Suslick getting 14 digs.

Now at 2-2, CBA would visit Pulaski Tuesday and host Weedsport Thursday night. Meanwhile, ESM would go to Utica Proctor Monday and then meet its fellow Spartans from New Hartford on Thursday.

Manlius-Pebble Hill visited Onondaga last Friday and, in three sets, lost to the Tigers 25-9, 25-14, 25-12. Ren Brown had three kills and seven digs for the Trojans as Liv Bigtree and Claudia Cook got three digs apiece. MPH faces Faith Heritage and Cortland this week.

A day later, MPH got closer in a match against Fabius-Pompey, yet still lost to the Falcons 25-23, 25-10, 25-22. Brown managed 13 assists and Bigtree earned nine digs as Katie Pratt got three kills, with Halle Erwin adding six digs.