CENTRAL NEW YORK – Three area high schools have their girls volleyball teams still play a winter schedule – East Syracuse Minoa, Christian Brothers Academy and Manlius Pebble Hill.
Each of them would get underway last week, with the Spartans finding immediate success during last Monday’s three-set sweep of the Oneida Indians.
ESM dominated each of the first two sets, prevailing by 25-12 margins, and then hung on in a 25-22 third set to close out Oneida as Morgan Ransom, Laura Sitnik, Emma Talarico and Natalie Peterson each finished with four aces.
Peterson finished with 15 assists, with Sitnik earning six kills on a front line where Autumn Stoia added five kills and three blocks. Talarico got three kills and two blocks as Anna Byrd earned three digs and two aces.
MPH opened that same night against Faith Heritage, getting close in each of the first two sets, but losing 25-23 to the Saints in each instance before a 25-11 third set ended it.
Turning this around two nights later, the Trojans twice went ahead of Port Byron, winning the first set 25-20 and rolling through the third set 25-9.
Both times, the Panthers rallied, taking the second and fourth sets by equal 25-21 margins, but in the final set MPH dashed out in front and stayed there, ultimately winning the match 25-16.
As for CBA, when it started its season against Onondaga last Tuesday, a narrow 26-24 defeat in the opening set did not sway the Brothers, who went on to take the next three sets over the Tigers 25-17, 25-21 and 25-13.
Gabby Nichols put away 10 kills and added seven blocks, while Molly Niedzwicki added seven kills. Makenna Shultz managed eight assists, four aces and two kills.
Playing again on Friday against Whitesboro, ESM lost in three sets 25-19, 25-23, 25-16 to the Warriors, who were led by Tessa Nash’s 23 assists and 11 digs.
