Albion spikers outlast Medina in 5 sets

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 19 September 2016 at 10:07 pm

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Albion’s Chanyce Powell spikers over Medina defenders Carley Schultz (7), Molley Gross (10) and Emily Kams (9) during the Purple Eagles marathon five set victory over the host Mustangs this evening.

A fast start and a strong finish earned Albion a wild five set victory over host Medina this evening in a Niagara-Orleans League volleyball match.

Albion took the first set 25-13, dropped the next two 25-14 and 25-13 but rebounded to take the final two sets 25-23 and 25-16.

Trailing 2-1, Albion pulled even by scoring a narrow two point win the the fourth set as Chanyce Powell had a service ace for point 21 and a spiking kill for point 23, Sierra Newton an ace for point 24 and Kaitlyn Van Skiver a kill for the set winner.

Albion jumped out to leads of 8-1 and 18-11 in the set as Van Skiver served up points 1-3, Emilie Barleben 5-8 and 16-18.

Albion’s Caitlynn Snook blocks a hit by Emily Kams.

Medina did battle back into a brief 19-19 tie as Lexi Neuman scored points 16-19 but the Mustangs could not grab the lead.

In the decisive fifth set Albion erased an early 5-4 deficit to move out to a commanding 16-7 lead as Powell scored points 5-8, Newton 9-11 and Caitlynn Snook 13-16.

Medina could get no closer than 23-16 after that as Newton had a kill for point 24 to help Albion close out the set and the match.

Powell had a huge night at the net for Albion with 21 kills as Van Skiver had 8, Snook 4 and Newton 3.

Brown had 14 kills for Medina as Gross added 8 and Maddie Williams and Carley Schultz 7 each.

Albion raced to a 25-13 lead in the opening set as Kara Smith served up points 4-13, Powell 15-21 and Newton 23-25.

However, Medina answered right back with a 25-14 victory in the second set as Leah Sheelar scored points 2-6, and Kams 15-20.

Keeping the momentum the Mustangs then grabbed a 2-1 lead in the match by taking the third set as Williams served up points 2-6 and 21-22, Gross 10-12, Kams 14-18 and Lexi Neuman 24-25 on a pair of aces.

Albion is now 3-1 in the league and Medina 1-3.

Roy-Hart 25-25-25, Newfane 8-17-13
Olivia Vorholzer had 16 points including 9 aces, Bea Bacon 14 points , including 5 aces, and 5 kills, Skyler Christopher 11 points and 3 kills and Brianna Brewer 7 points and 15 assists.

Roy-Hart is now 3-1 and Newfane 0-4.