CENTRAL NEW YORK – Plenty of shuffling was expected among area high school girls volleyball teams during the early stages of the 2022 seasons.
One quickly took place on Sept. 1 when Westhill, swept in its opener by Fulton, rebounded against Skaneateles, the Warriors beating the reigning sectional Class C champion Lakers in four sets.
A close 25-20 opener was followed by a 25-8 romp in the second. Though Skaneateles won the third 25-20, Westhill got the crucial points in the fourth set to close it out 25-21.
Alison Lancette and Eva Tarolli each got 13 kills, Jocelyn Caputo adding seven kills as Ava Baty got 26 assists and Hannah Schmitz 14 assists to go with six aces. Defensively, Tori Militi (21 digs) paced Westhill, Baty adding 10 digs.
Maddy Bender, with 22 assists, and Alice Bender, with 21 digs, paced Skaneateles as Katie Combs got 10 kills and 13 digs. Kate Raddant had six aces to go with her 14 digs.
Skaneateles did beat Institute of Technology Central in a three-set sweep last Tuesday night, with Maddy Bender getting 11 aces and six assists. Ayla Pas’cal put up five kills.
Fulton took aim at Marcellus after it defeated Westhill, and the Red Raiders were just as impressive as it was against the Lakers, sweeping the Mustangs 25-23, 25-17, 25-16.
Once that close first set went in Fulton’s favor, Marcellus was unable to recover, though Sam Richer did get 17 assists. Bryn Goldsworthy had 10 digs to go with a team-best seven kills as Sarah Louer and Isabella Palen had five kills apiece. Lauryn Mahler contributed nine digs.
Turning this around on Thursday, Marcellus rolled past Solvay 25-18, 25-10, 25-9. Palen led with nine kills, Hopper adding seven kills and Louer four kills as Chloe Kuttruff picked up 22 assists, plus five digs.
Solvay rolled in its opener 25-13, 25-10, 25-21 over ITC Neveah Baker had eight aces and Ashley Filicia six aces to go with seven assists. Hannah Haase and Susie Overend had five aces apiece.
Then the Bearcats lost 25-23, 25-15, 25-20 to Homer last Tuesday, despite 13 assists from Filicia and 12 digs from Baker, before its defeat to Marcellus.
Skaneateles had its match with Homer on Thursday, claiming the first two sets 25-18 and 25-17 and, after a 25-13 loss in the third, dominating the fourth set 25-10 to end it.
Pas’cal had 11 kills, with Raddant getting eight kills, 12 digs and three blocks. Bella Shoenborn had six kills and three aces as Alice Bender put together 16 digs and 11 assists, with Maddy Bender getting 19 assists and 13 digs, plus four kills and two aces. Mia Franciamone got nine digs.
West Genesee handled Nottingham 25-10, 25-10, 25-12 in its season opener, helped by Colleen Barry’s seven aces. Cammi Zajac had six kills, with Claire Devore adding five kills as Olivia Snyder earned eight assists.
Jordan-Elbridge lost, 25-10, 25-14, 25-18 to LaFayette in its Sept. 1 opener, the Eagles seeing Sarah Lane earn six assists and three kills as Taylor Eaton finished with four kills and seven digs.
Bishop Ludden then met J-E last Tuesday, with the Gaelic Knights earning a 25-18 win in the opening set and then, after dropping the second 25-20, pulling out a tight 26-24 third set to move in front.
Closing out the match 25-20 in the fourth, Ludden featured Bridget Dunham’s 15 kills, six aces, six assists and 10 digs. Tess Murray got 19 assists as Sarah Fink had 13 digs, seven assists and four kills. Sarah Prowak and Tiz’Ariah Blue had five kills apiece.
Ludden did not have as much success against Cazenovia on Thursday, falling 25-12, 25-15, 25-18. Dunham still had nine kills and seven digs, with Murray contributing eight assists.
But the Gaelic Knights swept Hannibal 25-20, 25-14, 25-16 on Friday, with Fink and Murray each earning six aces as Murray got 12 assists. Blue and Jordyn Howard had six kills apiece.
