CENTRAL NEW YORK – Still without a defeat, the Marcellus girls volleyball team would test itself against top competition when it traveled to last Saturday’s Baldwinsville Fall Swing Tournament.
Two nights earlier, the Mustang were challenged by its rivals from Westhill. After dropping the first set 25-17, the Warriors pulled even in the second set 25-18, only to have Marcellus get its own 25-18 in the third set.
A 25-15 fourth-set romp produced the Mustangs’ eighth win in a row, with Brooklyn Finnarty amassing 20 kills and Miranda Stewart adding 13 kills as Jenna Mattison fed them with 40 assists. Elaine Grattan had a season-best 32 digs, helped by Sarah Louer (11 digs, four kills, three aces) and Brynnly Goldsworthy, who had nine digs.
On Westhill’s side, Kate Heinrich had 20 kills to equal Finnarty, with Alison Lancette getting 18 kills. Ava Baty had 33 assists, with Tori Militi getting 11 digs and Heinrich earning nine digs.
To a degree, Westhill got payback on Saturday when it beat Marcellus in the semifinals of the Silver division at the Baldiwnsville Invitational, a precursor to the Warriors topping Pittsford Mendon in the finals.
Westhill had handled Institute of Technology Central 25-13, 25-14, 25-15 two nights before facing Marcellus.. Heinrich managed seven aces and nine kills, with Alison Lancette getting five aces and four kills. Ava Baty produced 16 assists.
Solvay was just behind Marcellus in the OHSL Liberty division race and won all three of its matches during the week.
The Bearcats swept Phoenix 25-18, 25-13, 25-17 last Monday behind 10 kills from Alicia Granger and eight kills from Maggie Kemp. Brayla Bagozzi notched 10 assists and Ashley Filicia seven assists as Jayde Coyne got 12 digs.
A day later, handling Altmar-Parish-Williamstown 25-7, 25-13, 25-21, Solvay accumulated 23 aces from nine different players. Kemp and Susie Overend both got four aces, while Granger earned seven kills and Coyne six kills, with Filicia getting 13 assists and Bagozzi nine assists. All four of those players finished with three aces.
West Genesee and Skaneateles would follow Marcellus to the Fall Swing, with the Wildcats having played Henninger last Wednesday and routed the Black Knights 25-8, 25-5, 25-14.
Allison Lamberton and Kelly Jones both earned five aces for WG, with Cami Zajac adding four aces. Cameron Rosenthal got five kills and Olivia Snyder added four kills as Sonya Dunham gained 13 assists.
Skaneateles had cruised past Cazenovia last Tuesday, taking each of the first two sets 25-19 and the third set 25-17 for the sweep. Maddy Bender had 15 assists and eight digs, with Alice Bender earning 10 assists. Rory Comer not only got 12 kills, she earned 14 digs as Reese McConochy added seven kills and Laci Gadis contributed 17 digs
Jordan-Elbridge beat APW before Solvay did, the Eagles’ 25-9, 25-10, 25-9 sweep including 12 aces from Sydney Parsons, 10 kills from Gabby Smart and 15 assists from Sarah Lane.
Then the Eagles turned to Wednesday’s match against Hannibal and roared to a 25-16, 25-12 25-20 victory over the Warriors.
In addition to her seven kills, Smart unleashed seven aces, with Lane getting five aces along with 12 assists. Parsons had three aces and three kills, with Taylor Eaton and Carrie Williams both getting five digs.
Playing again on Saturday, J-E swept Cato-Meridian, helped by 29 assists from Lane, who also had five aces. Smart put away 19 kills, while Eaton had six kills and Sydney Parsons had nine digs.
Bishop Ludden lost the first two sets to LaFayette 25-18 last Thursday, and prevented a sweep with a 30-28 win in the third set before the Lancers closed it out 25-18 in the fourth.
Amelia Adams got 10 assists for the Gaelic Knights, with Sarah Fink earning 16 digs and Bridget Dunham earning six kills and five aces. Paige Smith added seven digs.
