CENTRAL NEW YORK – A month of undefeated work by the East Syracuse Minoa girls volleyball team was halted – and it took another bunch of Spartans to do it.
New Hartford, sporting a 14-1 record, would prevail in three sets last Monday night, finally putting an end to a 12-match win streak ESM had put together dating back to mid-December.
When these two sides first met Dec. 12, New Hartford pulled out a back-and-forth, five-set classic where ESM won the opener, fell behind 2-1 and then pulled back even before finally falling at the end.
In that match, New Hartford’s defense was the story as it amassed 155 digs to ESM’s 78, including 40 digs from Ashlee Fisher which topped the 32 from ESM’s main defender, Leah Rehm.
Having not lost a match since, ESM brought plenty of confidence into the second encounter in New Hartford and, in each of the three sets, would give itself chances to win.
Every time, though, New Hartford grabbed the key late points, ultimately winning 25-22, 26-24, 25-22 led by Keegan Matthews’ 20 kills and 23 digs. Ashlee Fisher added 29 digs and eight kills as setter Claire Colantuoni earned 42 assists.
On ESM’s side, Leah Rehm got 35 digs, with Kristina Levkovich and Erin Murnane both earning 16 digs as Levkovich got 17 assists. Bailey Rehm added eight assists plus 10 digs and Morgan Palmer 15 digs as she and Katelyn Davis led the front line earning 10 kills apiece.
Another loss followed on Friday as ESM was swept by Rome Free Academy in three close sets 25-20, 25-22, 25-20, though Davis got 12 kills and Palmer eight kills in front of Levkovich, who had 20 assist and 18 digs. Leah Rehm added 28 digs.
This busy week concluded Saturday with the Spartans routing Whitesboro 25-20, 25-11, 25-21. Leah Rehm picked up 39 digs in those three sets and Levkovich added 22 assists, while Davis and Palmer got 10 kills apiece and Murnane earned seven kills.
Christian Brothers Academy rebounded from a three-set defeat to Rome Free Academy on Jan. 25, just its second loss of the season, by prevailing in four sets over Fabius-Pompey two nights later.
The Brothers dominated the first two sets 25-14 and 25-12, relaxed a bit and lost the third 25-16 but kept the Falcons from forcing a fifth set by claiming the fourth 25-22.
Carleah Morgia had a rare 20-20 outing of 20 kills and 26 digs as Neveah Bacheyie amassed 28 digs to go with her 12 kills. Julia Zedep added seven kills and Olivia Jones six kills as Katie Pledger managed 22 digs and Rachel Zdep finished with 26 assists.
Even more impressive was Thursday night’s three-set sweep of Chittenango, which improved CBA’s mark to 10-2. Morgia amassed 18 kills, six digs and six aces, her passes coming from Josie Lachut, who had 22 assists.
Manlius Pebble Hill lost Thursday to Tully in three sets 25-22, 25-14, 25-6, seeing its overall record fall to 6-8.
Before all this, the Trojans had back-to-back matches on Jan. 23 and 24 where it beat Port Byron in four sets and then, against Stockbridge Valley a day later, got a 25-15, 25-17, 25-13 shutout of the Cougars.
Clary-Sohriakoff continued to excel on defense with 22 digs, with Ward adding 12 digs. Laura Kinane’s 17 assists went up to a front line where Ward and Nora McGee had six kills apiece and Bernazzani added five kills but stepped up her serve with five aces to the match the total of Rainbow Butler.
Also in back-to-back matches, CBA split them, starting Jan. 24 when, against Pulaski, it roared out of the gate 25-11, added a 25-20 win in the second set and then took the third 25-15 for the sweep.
Pledger’s five aces set the night’s tone. Morgia, Bacheyie and Julie Zdep each earned three aces, Bacheyie recording seven kills and Morgia four kills as Rachel Zdep (eight digs), Josie Lachut (seven digs) and Allison Boule (six digs) all stood out on defense.
It turned around a day later when RFA blanked CBA 25-14 in the first and third sets and 25-17 in the second, all despite 10 kills from Morgia and five kills from Bacheyie. Rachel Zdep earned 10 assists.