CENTRAL NEW YORK – Two schools that neighbor each other would clash in girls volleyball for their first match of 2023, and it proved an exciting one.
Manlius Pebble Hill did all that it could to upend Christian Brothers Academy last Tuesday night, but could not quite get the points it needed to keep the Brothers from prevailing in four sets.
A 25-23 opening set went in CBA’s favor, and the Trojans responded well, taking the second set by a comfortable 25-18 margin.
Then, in the third and fourth sets, MPH had all kinds of chances, first to take the lead, and then to extend the match to the full limit. Each time, the Brothers got the points it needed late, winning two more 25-23 decisions to close it out.
Grace Catalano amassed 17 kills, with passes coming from Georgia Brown, who had 27 assists. Josie Hakizimana earned four aces and two blocks as Josie DePalma led CBA’s defense with 10 digs. Abby Uryniak had three kills and three aces.
Having won five in a row since a season-opening defeat to Tully Dec. 1, CBA sought to extend the win streak Thursday against Fabius-Pompey, who had seen its own six-match win streak stopped by Chittenango earlier in the week.
Successful again, the Brothers swept the Falcons, claiming the first two sets by equal 25-20 margins and the third 25-19 as Brown gained 20 assists and four aces, with DePalma contributing 13 digs.
For the most part, Carleah Morgia, with 10 kills, and Catalano, with eight kills, handled front-line duties, combining for five aces. Hakizimana added four aces to go with a pair of blocks.
CBA played again on Saturday and swept Weedsport 25-20, 25-16, 28-26 to get to 7-1 overall.
East Syracuse Minoa was back in action on Thursday, too, facing Oneida and toppling the Indians in four sets to improve its record to 4-2.
A 25-9 blitz through the opening set carried over into the second, which the Spartans won 25-18. Oneida did win the third set 25-22 before ESM pulled away in the fourth 25-17 to end it.
Akuot Kuany served up eight aces and got 15 kills, adding three blocks. Margaret Mading managed 12 kills and four aces as Emily Murnane had seven kills and seven digs.
Camille Mitchell added further depth with her six kills and two blocks, all of it in front of Natalie Peterson, who dished out 29 assists as Brooke Kirkpatrick got 10 digs, three aces, three assists and two kills.
