CENTRAL NEW YORK – Just when the Christian Brothers Academy girls volleyball team seemed to distinguish itself above Onondaga High School League sides with its four-set win over Chittenango on Jan. 12, it was humbled just four days later.
And it was East Syracuse Minoa who applied that effort, getting its own four-set victory over the Brothers on its home court to move its overall record to 8-4.
The entire match was a close one. ESM showed right away that it could hang with 10-1 CBA, taking the opening set 25-22, but by that exact same margin the Brothers claimed the second set to pull even.
They stayed tight in the third set, and the Spartans won it 25-20. With a chance to extend the match, CBA nearly did so, but in yet another 25-22 decision in the fourth set, ESM closed it out, anchored on defense by Leah Rehm, who amassed 35 digs.
Akuot Kuany dominated up front with 13 kills and five blocks. Katelyn Davis (six kills) and Anela Mesic (four kills) helped out as Brooke Kirkpatrick had 14 assists and 11 digs, Kristina Lekovich adding 10 assists and five digs.
In defeat, CBA had Carleah Morgia earn 14 kills, most of it from passes by Josie Lachut, who had 16 assists. Josie DePalma earned 25 digs and Morgia contributed 11 digs as Neveah Bacheyie finished with seven kills.
Big as this was, what ESM did to follow it up against unbeaten Camden two nights later may have proved even more impressive.
The 11-0 Blue Devils saw the Spartans go in front 25-18 in the opening set and, after Camden got even 25-16 in the second, ESM claimed the pivotal third set 25-22.
By winning that set, the Spartans could withstand Camden winning the fourth 25-21, rebound and, in the final-set race to 15, dominate with its serve and power to take that match 15-7.
Kirkpatrick, with her 26 assists and 17 digs, kept passing it – and Kuany slammed them away to the tune of 17 kills and seven blocks, plus eight digs, and Rehm dazzled on defense, too, thanks to her 50 digs.
Mesic’s seven kills helped up front, as did six kills from Erin Murnane to go with 16 digs and five kills from Davis. Francesca Cambareri earned 10 digs and Levkovich contributed six assists.
That same night, CBA swept Pulaski 25-21, 25-10, 25-15, rebounding well from its ESM loss. Morgia had 13 kills, with Zdep getting six kills and Abrianna Albring four kills in support, Allison Boule earning 15 assists to spell Lachut, who had eight assists. DePalma’s 10 digs trailed the 12 digs from Zdep.
In yet another five-set match on Thursday night, Manlius Pebble Hill got the best of Faith Heritage as the Trojans improved its overall record to 4-9.
India Clarry-Sohriakoff earned 41 digs to lead MPH’s defense. Laura Kinane had 20 digs to go with her 22 assists as Emily Fadda-Conrey earned 12 kills and 17 digs. Caroline Bernazzani had five kills and seven blocks, Mira Fadda-Conrey getting nine kills and six digs and Nora McGee 11 digs to go with four kills and four blocks.
CBA returned on Saturday and swept Port Byron 25-18, 25-18, 25-14 to move to 12-2 on the season, with Morgia getting 11 kills, Lachut earning 13 assists and DePalma contributing 17 digs as Bacheyie set the tone with eight aces plus three blocks.
