Albion spikers to face familiar foe in Section VI Class B2 title match
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Albion’s Meghan Hurley, left, and Aleah Foos, shown here going up for a block, and their Purple Eagle teammates will face Cheektowaga Tuesday at Lockport for the Section VI Class B2 title.
The foe will be a very familiar one as No. 2 seed Albion takes on No. 4 Cheektowaga for the Section VI Class B2 volleyball championship at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Lockport High School.
It marks the third time in the last four years that Albion and Cheektowaga have collided in either the semifinal or final round of the sectionals. In addition, the Purple Eagles also defeated the Lady Warriors in a non league match earlier this season.
“It seems the sectionals always runs through a match with Cheektowaga at some point and I anticipate a very competitive match,” said Albion Coach Ann Capacci. “We always have a good match with them. And the outcome of that earlier match really doesn’t mean much now as everybody gets better the second time around.”
Albion advanced to the finals by besting No. 3 East Aurora in three sets in the semifinals while Cheektowaga upended top seeded Depew in five sets in the other semi rallying to win the decisive fifth set in overtime 27-25.
“That shows they are not going to give up and that they can play from behind,” said Capacci.
Albion will also be at full strength for the match with the return of senior starter Sara Millspaugh who was at the FFA national convention last week.
“We have Sara back so we’ll be at full strength which is important,” said Capacci.
The Albion attack is led by junior Kelsee Soule (175 spiking kills, 59 service aces and 239 digs), sophomore Chanyce Powell (139 kills, 43 aces, 93 digs), Millspaugh (96 kills, 35 aces, 100 digs), junior Meghan Hurley (65 kills, 40 aces, 165 digs, 255 assists), senior Olivia Neidert (20 aces, 54 digs, 137 assists), junior Aleah Foos (55 kills) and junior Ashlee Bocach (43 digs).
“The key is for us to execute, do the little things and play our game,” said Capacci whose Purple Eagles have reached the sectional finals four of the last five years. The Purple Eagles bested Cheektowaga in the B1 final in 2011 and in the B semis last year.
“It doesn’t matter who is on the other side of the net we just have to execute, do the little things and we have to play our game,” stressed Capacci.
The winner will face the B1 champion (either Williamsville South or Starpoint) on Thursday at Lockport for the Section VI Class B berth in the state playoffs. Williamsville South and Starpoint will play for the B1 title at 6 p.m. Thursday at Lockport. Starpoint bested Albion in last year’s Class B title match.
