Medina spikers rally to nip Albion in 5 sets

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s duo of Maddie Winters and Elle Gross block a spike attempt by Albion’s Taylor Walczak during the Mustangs come-from-behind win over the Purple Eagles this evening. Both teams wore pink uniforms in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Rebounding from a two set deficit at the outset, Medina battled back to take the next three in a row and claim a marathon 19-25, 23-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-20 victory over visiting Albion this evening in a Niagara-Orleans League volleyball match.

Medina got back in the match by taking the third set as Je’ne Brown served up points 17-19, a run which included an ace and a tip by Camri King, and Alyssa Beyer points 21-23 as Elle Gross had a tip for point 22.

Maddie Williams followed up with a spiking kill for point 24 and the Mustangs got the set winner on a side out.

Medina’s Je’ne Brown spikes over Albion’s Haley Smith.

Keeping the momentum, Medina then tied the match by taking the fourth set as Beyer served up points 21-23 to snap a 20-20 deadlock and put the Mustangs back on top to stay.

Albion had grabbed a brief 20-19 lead as Emani Poole served up points 18-20.

The Mustangs then capped off the huge comeback with a victory in the decisive fifth set as Beyer served up the last three points in a row notching an ace for the clincher after Gross had polished off point 24 with a kill.

Medina had built up a 17-11 lead in the set as Brown served up points 8-10, a run with included a pair of kills by Williams, and then Williams scored points 15-17 as Brown registered two kills.

However, Albion battled back to within one at 20-19 and again at 21-20 as Cassandra Serafin had a kill for point 15, Caitlynn Snook an ace for No. 16 and Taylor Walczak a block for No. 18 and a kill for No. 20. The Purple Eagles though could not regain the lead.

Albion though did get off to a strong start in the match as Poole served up points 9-13 and Walczak 15-19, including a pair of aces, to key the opening set win.

Walczak then polished off the final three points of the second set with two kills and a tip to give the Purple Eagles a 2-0 lead in the match.  Hailey Smith also had 3 kills and a block in the set.

Brown finished with a total of 17 kills and 6 aces, Gross 12 aces and 6 kills, King 5 kills, Williams 6 kills and 20 digs, Masse 19 assists, Faith Henning 6 assists and Beyer 14 digs for the Mustangs.

Smith had 9 kills and Walczak 6 kills and 6 aces for the Purple Eagles.

Medina is now 6-3 and Albion 0-9 in N-O competition.

Albion’s Caitlynn Snook blocks a tip by Medina’s Grace Masse.