CENTRAL NEW YORK – With the regular season over, each of the area’s three high school girls volleyball teams now set their sights on Section III championships in three different classes.
East Syracuse Minoa was awarded the no. 2 seed in Class A, and was scheduled to face no. 7 seed Utica Proctor in the quarterfinals on Friday before weather intervened.
When they did play on Saturday, though, ESM rolled to a 25-8 win in the first set, endured a closer second set 25-22 and then closed it out 25-13 in the third.
Margaret Mading put away 10 kills, with Lily Talarico getting six kills and Autumn Stolia five kills. Laura Sitnik served up four aces as Natalie Peterson produced 28 assists.
The Spartans advanced to this week’s semifinal against no. 3 seed Whitesboro – who met ESM early last week in what turned out to be a playoff preview.
A strong first set had the Spartans take it 25-15, followed by a second set which was closer, yet still went 25-21 in ESM’s favor.
Whitesboro took the third set 25-17 and threatened to send the match to the wire in the fourth, but ESM, by a 25-22 margin, was able to close it out and improve to 17-3 overall.
Mading put away 11 kills, with Akuat Kuany earning 10 kills and adding four blocks. Peterson amassed 27 assists, adding seven digs and three kills
In Class D, Manlius-Pebble Hill nabbed the no. 11 seed, then went on the road for last Wednesday”s opening-round match and defeated no. 6 seed Remsen in four sets.
A close opening set proved crucial, the Trojans taking 26-24 and then rolling through the second set 25-10. Remsen prolonged the match by taking the third 25-23, and the fourth set was tight, too, but MPH closed it out 25-21.
Now the Trojans would try and upend no. 3 seed DeRuyter in the quarterfinals. But only the second set proved close as MPH lost 25-14, 25-22, 25-6 and its season concluded at 6-12.
Given the no. 9 seed in Class B, Christian Brothers Academy was lined up to face no. 8 seed Holland Patent, the winner to challenge undefeated top seed Canastota.
The first two sets went 26-24 and 25-18 in the Golden Knights’ favor, but the Brothers roared back, taking the third set 25-19 and the fourth set 25-16.
Then, in a tense final set, both sides had chances to win it until, at 24-24, CBA got the serve and was able to end it, 26-24, to complete its rally.
Makenna Schultz finished with 31 assists, her passes often going to Grace Catalano, who had 14 kills, and Molly Niedziwcki, who got 11 kills. Madeline Massa gained nine kills as Lily Genecco had seven kills and nine digs. Georgia Brown picked up three aces, Mia Merola contributing six digs.
Now facing Canastota, CBA’s run ended on Saturday, a close first set proving crucial as the Brothers got within range, only to drop that set 27-25 and see the Raiders claim the next two sets 25-16 and 25-20 to advance to the semifinals, CBA’s season ending with a 7-1 mark.
