CENTRAL NEW YORK – Having survived plenty of tests so far, the Skaneateles girls volleyball team remained the Class B side best suited to offer a major challenge to defending champion Westhill.
And when these two went head-to-head last Tuesday night, the Lakers did pick off a set – but only after the Warriors established itself, something it reinforced by prevailing in four.
Neither of the first two sets took too long, Skaneateles doing everything well in 25-12 and 25-13 victories and poised for a sweep before Westhill was able to snatch the third 25-22.
Keeping its poise, the Warriors slowly regained control and won the fourth set 25-21 to close out the match, led in the back by Ava Baty with her 32 assist and nine digs as Alice Bender and Sofia Dimovski each got 14 digs, Sydney Medeiros adding nine digs.
Eva Tarolli earned 15 kills and four blocks, helped by nine kills from Alison Lancette and six kills from Jocelyn Caputo, with Dimovski adding five kills.
Skaneateles, in defeat, got 11 kills, six blocks and six digs from Ayla Pas’cal, Maggie Lootens adding nine kills and 14 digs. Ellie Walsh got seven kills and 13 digs as Cydney Pitman had 14 assists and Delaney Fish added 12 assists.
Of course, Westhill had already endured plenty, including last Monday’s come-from-behind, five-set victory over its namesakes from Liverpool.
Westhill dominated the opening set 25-14, only to have Liverpool take charge in both the second and third sets, winning them by 25-18 and 25-20 margins. In a tense fourth set, Liverpool closed in on victory, but Westhill, by a 25-23 margin, forced a final-set race to 15 that went beyond the wire.
Ultimately, Westhill pulled it out 17-15 as Baty got 32 assists, four kills, four blocks, four aces and seven digs in a superb all-around effort.
Four different players – Taroli, Schneider, Lancette and Brynn Schneider,– had eight kills apiece, Caputo adding seven kills and five blocks. Tarolli got four blocks as Medeiros (15 digs) and Bender (11 digs) led the defense.
Liverpool had six different players record at least 10 digs, led by Eliana Vangelov’s 24 digs and Madison Ames’ 21 digs. Addie Tanton had 18 assists and Allyson Crandall got 17 assists Sophie Sageer and Lauren Poland led with 10 kills apiece, Sageer adding 16 digs. Ames had nine kills and Sarah LaTocha eight kills to go with four blocks.
A far easier 25-6, 25-14, 25-13 sweep of Homer followed the clashes with Liverpool and Skaneateles. Baty had 23 assists and 10 digs, often passing it to Tarolli, who had 10 kills as Schneider got six kills and Dimovski four kills.
Back in action last Wednesday night, Marcellus got a sweep of Solvay, the Mustangs taking out the Bearcats 25-15, 25-19, 25-11.
To pace Marcellus, Bryn Goldsworthy had four aces, six kills and five digs. Elle DeMarle also had six kills, adding two blocks as Dorothy McMahon earned seven digs and Chloe Kutruff picked up 21 assists. Solvay got five assists from Hannah Citron and six digs from Sofia Moroz, Gianna D’Eredita adding five digs.
Perhaps the most impressive win Marcellus has put together this season was last Thursday night’s 25-18, 25-22, 25-17 sweep over Cazenovia on the Lakers’ home court.
With her 20 assists, Kutruff fed it to a well-balanced front line. Maddy Foy and Lake Ziober both got six kills, with Goldsworthy getting five kills to go with her 13 digs. Harper Camp also had five kills and DeMarle got four kills.
Before this, Solvay lost last Monday night to Cortland, the Bearcats winning the first set 25-19, but seeing the Purple Tigers claim each of the next two sets 25-22 and 25-20 before rolling 25-13 in the fourth.
Playing again on Saturday, Solvay took a 25-17, 25-20, 25-10 defeat to Hamilton, seeing its record drop to 1-8 overall.
