ONONDAGA COUNTY – Trailing by two sets last Wednesday night, the Liverpool girls volleyball team may have felt that a comeback against Cicero-North Syracuse was not likely.
Perhaps at that moment, though, the Warriors remembered what happened to its boys counterparts against the Northstars eight days earlier on this same court– and proceeded to stage its own unlikely rally to shock the Northstars.
C-NS took a long opening set where each side had multiple opportunities to pull it out before the Northstars prevailed 34-32, and then won the second set 25-14, seemingly having full control, but Liverpool began to turn things around when it claimed a 25-19 decision in the third set.
Having altered the momentum, the Warriors then held off the Northstars 25-20 in the fourth and, maintaining its poise, won the final set 25-19.
Lola Sageer paced Liverpool’s front line with 15 kills and eight blocks, with Sophie Sageer getting 12 kills and seven digs as Tessa Gullo managed six kills and five aces, plus 13 digs. Addie Tanton gained 20 assists, four kills and eight digs as Alexsis Knox managed 10 assists.
C-NS, in defeat, got 36 assists from Natalie Tice, her passes going to Maddy Howell (13 kills) and Alita Carey-Santangelo (11 kills) as Karey Eymer got nine kills and 10 digs. Carly Overend added six kills as Maddy Manz managed 12 digs and four aces.
What made it more unlikely was that Liverpool had lost 25-12, 25-10, 25-15 to Fayetteville-Manilus two nights earlier, while C-NS went to Baldwinsville and led early before falling to the Bees in four sets.
Both sides were undefeated going into the match – C-NS at 6-0, B’ville at 5-0, and in the opening set it was the Northstars who seized the lead and never let go of it, prevailing 25-19.
A long second set proved pivotal. The Northstars had a chance to double its lead, but after several set points the Bees pulled it out 28-26, and followed it up with a 25-21 win in the third set.
As the match ended with a 25-19 loss in the fourth set, C-NS could take comfort from seeing Natalie Tice, with her 31 assists, set up a well-balanced front line.
Madison Roche had 11 kills and 12 digs, with Howell adding nine kills and Overend six kills to go with four aces and eight digs. Carey-Santangelo got five kills as Eymer and Manz had 13 digs apiece.
B’ville saw Kyrah Wilbur earn nearly a full set’s worth of points at the net due to her 24 kills, Wilbur adding 12 digs as Madison MacKaig earn 37 assists and Kathryn AuClair add 16 digs.
When Liverpool lost to F-M, Lola Sageer had seven kills, with Allyson Crandall adding five assists and Tanton four assists as Eliana Page got eight digs. Tessa Gullo and Sophia Sageer each had seven digs.
