SECTION VI GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Eden machine keeps rolling
Raiders take 11th straight title; Salamanca stuns City Honors
Maybe, just maybe the East Aurora girls volleyball team would have had a chance against powerful Eden if the Raiders hadn’t suffered a rare loss just before the Section VI Tournament.
But that loss, Eden’s first of the season, refocused the Raiders, who were pretty much as sharp as could be Wednesday night at Medaille College. Eden won its 11th straight sectional championship by dispatching defending Class B champion East Aurora, 25-7, 25-15, 25-7.
The Raiders, last year’s Class C champion, begin the quest for a third straight state championship Saturday at Genesee Community College in Batavia when it faces the Section V Rochester-area champion in the Far West Regionals.
“I think before our loss to St. Mary’s we didn’t come into every game as prepared and mentally focused as we should be,” said junior Heather Henry, who led Eden with 13 kills. “It was a devastating loss but it helped us in the long run.”
In a matchup between unbeatens in Class C, the girls of Salamanca (18-0) introduced themselves to fans outside of the Southern Tier by defeating top seed City Honors, 25-13, 28-26, 25-22.
An estimated 500 fans attended the doubleheader at Medaille College, most of them in attendance for the Salamanca-City Honors clash. They witnessed history as the Warriors, a No. 6 seed with a perfect record, won their first sectional title by beating the top three seeds (City Honors, Roy-Hart and Falconer) in their bracket on the road.
“We knew we were better than them and we wanted to prove it,” said senior Ashley Abrams, who finished with 19 kills. “It’s unbelievable. It’s our senior year. This is what we’ve worked for since our freshman year.”
Eden improved to 46-1 on the season with its lone loss to Monsignor Martin Association champion St. Mary’s of Lancaster, a team it beat four times during the season. The Raiders showed why they’ve won two straight state titles during their clash with East Aurora (10-5), which appeared in just its second final.
Henry (four aces) and fellow 6- footer Stacy Smith mercilessly crushed the ball in combining for 25 kills. Eden also compiled an astounding 19 service aces with Sally Schaefer delivering 11.
“What it comes down to is Eden is well coached, they have 12 good players and they’re strong everywhere,” EA coach Molly Schrantz said.
A Salamanca team with eight seniors prevented City Honors (14-1) from winning its third sectional title in four years. But it was Abrams along with classmates Katie Auge (22 kills) and Hannah Reynolds (six kills) who took turns delivering the clutch plays the Warriors needed to frustrate the Centaurs.
“Salamanca brought their ‘A’ game. They played a great match,” City Honors coach Deborah Matos said. “We just couldn’t close the door on them.”
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