GLENS FALLS — Before the third game of Sunday's Class B state championship match in

girls volleyball, the Eden players went into their usual huddle. As it broke, there were a few

hugs and some lingering embraces.

The four seniors knew that this was it.

And it was. Perhaps the best senior class ever in Eden volleyball finished the way it

wanted. The Raiders completed the quest with a three-game sweep over Hendrick Hudson, which

had defeated them in the finals a year ago, giving Eden the most girls volleyball titles in

state history with seven.

Eden beat its Westchester County opponent on Sunday afternoon before an estimated 250 at

the Glens Falls Civic Center. The Raiders controlled the first two games, 25-15 and 25-7, and

had their wistful moment before finishing off the Sailors, 25-22.

"That was our last game, and we realized it," said middle blocker Katie Eschner, part of

the Raiders' senior quartet that also included middle blocker Stacey Smith and twins Hannah

and Hailee Herc, both outside hitters. "It was the last time playing with them. It's amazing.

We went out pretty much undefeated and it was amazing to play with them all four years."

Eden's seventh title broke a tie with Sweet Home, which won six straight Class A volleyball

crowns from 1990 to '95. Eden also won in 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006 and 2007; the 2006 and

'09 titles came in Class B while the others were in C.

"It wasn't so much us thinking we were going to win," Hannah Herc said of the seniors'

moment prior to the third game. "We just knew it could be our last game, and we wanted to get

the hugs out in the beginning. It's bittersweet, because we're seniors — it's just

awesome to win, but I don't want to leave everyone. It's such a great team."

Eden finishes the season with a 57-1-1 record that includes games won in league and

tournament play.

"It's so awesome to have this happy ending — this is what we've been working for and

I'm so glad the team finished like this," said Smith, also a major part of last year's squad

that lost the final in five games to Hendrick Hudson. "This is so much better, and especially

as a senior, to be able to finish off like this is just awesome."

The 6-foot-4 Smith (14 kills) was the MVP after consistently delivering nasty kills. Hannah

Herc was named to the all-tournament team after an exceptional game in which she consistently

bombed heavy kills (11 total), and provided great serves and a few rally-preserving digs. "She

was on fire," said coach Stephen Pierce.

Hailee Herc (seven kills) and Eschner provided heavy hitting as well, often off the superb

setting of junior Heather Feldman.

Eden led the entire first two games. Hendrick Hudson forced the only ties and took brief

leads early in the third, but Eden took over at 7-6 and wouldn't let it go. It was a two- or

three-point game the rest of the way, with Smith providing the exclamation point on the

season. After Hannah Herc dug the Hudson serve, Feldman's back set went to the right side,

where Smith thudded a spike off the defense and out of bounds for the title-clincher.

"These four seniors were absolutely determined that not only would we come back and take

the state championship," said Pierce, "but also we were going to break the record for state

championships."

Eden's state championship roster also included junior libero Anna King, sophomore Kendall

Pierce, eighth-grader Lainy Pierce, sophomore Tori Eschner, junior Christine Schaefer,

sophomore Becca Shoemaker, junior Hannah Lauber and eighth-grader Heather Holscher.