Albion spikers to face old foe for Class B title

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Jasmyn Smith and her Albion teammates will take on Starpoint for the Section VI Class B volleyball championship at 8 p.m. Monday at Sweet Home.

An old rivalry will be renewed as No. 2 seed Albion takes on No. 8 and long-time former Niagara-Orleans League member Starpoint in the Section VI Class B championship match at 8 p.m. Monday at Sweet Home.

“We scrimmaged them before sectionals started and they are a good, scrappy team,” Albion coach Ann Capacci said of Starpoint. “The key for us is we have to keep doing the little things.”

Albion, which captured the N-O title with a 12-0 record, advanced to the sectional title match for the second time in the last three years by outlasting No. 7 Iroquois in five sets in the quarterfinals and then rolling past No. 3 Cheektowaga in the semis.

Starpoint advanced by ousting top seeded Springville in the quarterfinals and No. 4 Depew in the semis.

Albion’s underclassmen dominated lineup includes freshman Chanyce Powell, sophomores Kelsee Soule and Aleah Foos, juniors Meghan Hurley, Michaela Lake and Sarah Millspaugh and seniors Jasmyn Smith and Brooke Wilson.

“A big key for our success this season has been our team chemistry,” Capacci said. ‘We’ve had real good team chemistry.”

Albion last captured a Section VI title in 2011 by besting Cheektowaga in three sets for the B-1 title. The Purple Eagles went on to defeat Olean in three sets for the overall B title and a berth in the state playoffs.

The Albion/Starpoint victor will advance to the first round of the Far West Regional on Wednesday at Sweet Home against the Section III champion. In turn, the winner of that match will face the Section V champion next Saturday at Gates-Chili High in the Far West Regional final with the victor advancing to the state semifinals.