One of the biggest victories in the history of the East Syracuse Minoa girls volleyball program was within close range.
ESM found itself twice out in front of undefeated New Hartford in last Thursday’s Section III Class A semifinal, and even when those leads vanished, it went back in front again in the fifth and deciding set.
Yet despite all that good work, it was New Hartford claiming this most important of Spartan clashes and advancing to the sectional final, ending ESM’s title dreams.
These teams had met twice in the regular season. New Hartford won them on the way to a 16-0 mark, but in each instance ESM fought hard in four-set defeats.
The first match, on Dec. 13, was tied one set apiece and 25-25 in the third before New Hartford took over. Then, on Feb. 2, ESM won the first set 25-15, only to have New Hartford claim the next three sets.
What ESM took from these encounters was that it could give New Hartford trouble, and that certainly happened in the sectional semifinal as the visiting Spartans pulled out a tight 25-23 decision in the opener.
Even when New Hartford pulled even by claiming the second set 25-20, ESM bounced right back, dominating the third set by a 25-12 margin to put itself on the brink of a monumental win.
Having never faced a 2-1 deficit in any of its previous 16 matches this winter, the host Spartans showed plenty of poise in the fourth, never seriously challenged in a 25-15 decision that sent the semifinal to a fifth set.
ESM began well, claiming a 6-2 lead, but it was there that the magic ended. New Hartford, playing its best volleyball when it was absolutely needed, used a 12-4 run to grab the lead for good.
Not backing down, ESM pulled within one, 21-20, only to have New Hartford net the final four points to end it, 25-20, and advance to the sectional final against Carthage.
Marie Winn had 32 assists and 11 digs for New Hartford as Chloe Eisenbeck got 13 kills and six aces. Madison Desmaris added 10 kills and four blocks as Shaye Gardiner got 15 digs.
So ESM’s season concluded at 13-5, and three of the defeats were to New Hartford. Now it must replace seven departing seniors, including Gillianne McCarthy, Shaina Brilbeck, Riley Abbott and Franchesca Polcaro.
