CENTRAL NEW YORK – Perhaps the Chittenango girls volleyball team had more dominant sides in seasons past, but in 2023 the destination ended up the same – much to the Bears’ satisfaction.
By handling Christian Brothers Academy in three sets Saturday at Case Middle School in Watertown, Chittenango reclaimed the Section III Class B winter championship.
Not once in three sectional matches did Chittenango so much as surrender a set, quite a contrast to what CBA had to go through, emerging from a no. 2 seed with five-set playoff wins over South Jefferson and Camden.
Another long match seemed a possibility during the opening set, even though the Bears twice beat the Brothers in four-set matches on Jan. 30 and Feb. 6.
Each side had scoring runs, but faced with a single set point, Chittenango converted it, won that set 25-23, and then would control the second set, taking it 25-16.
Though it was a bit closer in the third set, the Bears claimed the sectional title 25-20, with its foundation a tremendous defense that had five players reach double-digit dig totals.
Cara Kielbasa had 19 digs, with Taylor Streiff getting 14 digs to go with her five kills. Rachel Glibert not onl y had 12 digs, she contributed four aces, four kills and two blocks.
Anna Spencer put together 11 digs and seven assists, while Jadyn Seguin stepped up with 10 digs as Alex Sylstra earned six digs, four kills and six assists.
From its top seed, the Bears didn’t get stressed too much in either of its matches leading up to CBA, sweeping Adirondack in the quarterfinals and then doing the same in last Wednesday’s semifinal against Oneida.
By scores of 25-19, 25-16 and 25-21, Chittenango steadily put away the Indians, led by Rachel Gilbert, who served up seven aces to go with seven kills, six blocks and nine digs.
Spencer had nine assists and 11 digs, with Sydney Martin getting five assists and four aces. Stephanie Huckabee had 15 digs, four kills and two aces as Streiff managed 10 digs and Kielbasa nine digs.
CBA would fall in the same manner, and another volleyball season at Chittenango ended with a happy scene and a sectional banner to display.
