CENTRAL NEW YORK – Two girls volleyball programs with vast amounts of success, and in close proximity to one another, got together last Monday ngiht for another classic battle.
It was Chittenango hosting Canastota, and after going back and forth in the early going, the Bears steadily gained control and closed with quite a flourish to prevail in four sets over the Raiders.
All started well for Chittenango as it won the opening set 25-16. Then Canastota played its best in the second set, with strong serves and net play to earn a 25-20 win and pull even.
Yet once the Bears won a convincing third set 25-17, things really accelerated in the fourth, Chittenango not doing much wrong and closing out the match 25-3.
Julia Spencer’s eight aces keyed the late runaway, which added to a night where she had a team-best 14 kills and 10 digs as Stephanie Huckabee and Alex Sylstra earned three aces apiece.
Huckabee also got eight kills and played superb defense, amassing 28 digs. Jadyn Seguin had 11 digs, with Sylstra and Ally Smith equaling Spencer’s 10 digs and back-line duties split by Sylstra, with 14 assists, and Cate McGork, who earned 13 assists. Caroline Litman finished with eight digs.
At Weedsport 24 hours later, the Bears got through the first set 25-21 and dominated the second 25-11. Though Weedsport extended the match 25-20 in the third, by that exact same score Chittenango closed out the match in four sets.
Defensively, Huckabee earned 18 digs, ahead of 15 digs from Seguin, 13 digs from Spencer and 11 digs from Sylstra, who also got five assists. McGork earned 10 assists as Huckabee earned four kills, Smith and Caroline Porter each adding three kills.
Then there was Friday’s match against visiting Port Byron, which saw the Bears tear through the first two sets 25-14 and 25-9 before closing out the Panthers 25-20 in the third for another sweep.
Sylstra, with 12 assists, and Martin, with nine assists, worked a back line where Seguin had eight digs and Caroline Litman five digs. Martin added five aces as Spencer and Huckabee led with six kills apiece, Sylstra adding five kills.
Tougher matches could await this week, Chittenango facing Oneida Monday before a key Thursday match against Christian Brothers Academy.
