CENTRAL NEW YORK – What had looked, so far in the 2023-24 season, as another uninterrupted run of success for the Chittenango girls volleyball team hit an unexpected and unscheduled snag.

It came in last Monday night’s match against Oneida, where the Express, with just a 1-3 record, was able to overcome a slow start and outlast the Bears in five sets.

Chittenango’s 25-12 romp in the first set suggested another lopsided win its its favor, but the second set turned the match around, Oneida hanging close and then, at 24-24, earning the serve and closing out that set 26-24.

Perhaps surprised by this, the Bears also lost the third set 25-19 and were on the brink of getting closed out before rallying in the fourth set to take it 25-23.

But it was the Express controlling the final-set race to 15 points, taking it 15-6 led by Saige Meehan’s 19 kills and 14 digs, plus 11 kills and five blocks from Natalie Chavez as Ella McKay dished out 31 assists and Peyton Molinari had 23 digs.

On Chittenango’s side, Sydney Martin had 19 assists and Alex Sylstra 10 assists to go with 20 digs and eight kills. Julia Spencer had nine kills, three blocks and 12 digs, with Stephanie Huckabee getting 35 digs to go with her seven kills. Caroline Porter added six kills as Jadyn Seguin managed 25 digs and Ally Smith 22 digs.

Another tough match was supposed to happen Thursday night at Christian Brothers Academy, but it was postponed and will get made up on Jan. 12 as the Bears then went to a Saturday tournament in Tully where it reached the finals before getting swept by New Hartford. Chittenango has matches this week against Manlius Pebble Hill and Fabius-Pompey,