While an enormous test awaits the East Syracuse Minoa girls volleyball team in the Section III Class A semifinals, at least it will have that opportunity.
Given the no. 4 seed for the Class A winter sectional tournament, the Spartans would host no. 5 seed Cortland in last Thursday night’s opening round and pull out a four-set decision over the Purple Tigers.
Cortland got off to the quick start, winning the first set 25-19, and had a chance in the second set, too. But once ESM pulled that out 25-21, it gradually gained control, claiming the third set 25-19.
A dominant 25-12 fourth set ended the match as the Spartans saw Shaina Brilbeck, with her 23 assists and six digs, help plenty of her teammates on the front line.
Riley Abbott led with eight kills and nine digs, while Gillianne McCarthy gained seven kills and four blocks. Olivia Fortuno had five kills and three blocks, with Franchesca Polcaro and Megan Travis earning four kills apiece, Polcaro adding three aces and eight digs. Amber Unislawski earned a pair of aces.
All this did for ESM was put it in a Class A semifinal this Tuesday against undefeated top seed New Hartford, who beat them twice in the regular season, with the winner going to Saturday night’s sectional final at Chittenango High School against Carthage or Whitesboro.
In Class B, Christian Brothers Academy was the no. 6 seed, traveling north to Adams to face no. 3 seed South Jefferson in Saturday night’s sectional quarterfinal after waiting out yet another winter snowstorm that hammered the north country.
The Spartans won the opening set 25-17, and the Brothers pulled even, 25-21, in the second. The third set proved decisive, CBA nearly taking the lead, but South Jefferson pulling it out 25-23 and then winning the fourth 25-19 to advance to the semifinals against no. 2 seed Canastota.
That ended the Brothers’ season at 9-6, with eight seniors graduating, including Anna Jenkins, Grace Glowaki and Jaedyn Congel, with the likes of Bella Roberson, Lauren Griffith and Delaney Della Donna returning next winter.
