Medina spikers roll in sectional opener

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Je’ne Brown spikes over the Dunkirk duo of Aalivah Bass and Nadara Odell during the Mustangs home court sectional victory this evening.

Romping to a lopsided win in the opening set, No. 2 seed Medina went on to defeat visiting No. 7 Dunkirk 25-4, 25-21, 27-25 this evening in the quarterfinal round of the Section VI Class B-2 volleyball playoffs.

Maddie Williams served Medina out to a commanding lead in the opening set as she scored the first 16 points in a row. That big run featured 4 service aces along with 3 spiking kills by Je’ne Brown and 2 by Elle Gross.

Maddie Williams served up the first 16 points of the match to get Medina off and rolling.

Gross quickly upped the Mustangs advantage to 22-1 as she served up points 18-22, a run which included 3 aces.

The second set proved to be a little closer.

Medina pulled even at 9-9 on a kill by Williams and then opened up  a 20-10 advantage as Williams served up points 10-15, a run which included an ace and kills by Brown and Gross, and Gross tacked on points 17-20 including an ace.

Another kill by Williams kept the lead at 10 points, 24-14.

Dunkirk did battle back to within 24-21 but could get no closer.

Medina built up a 14-9 lead midway through the first set after a five point run of service points by Alyssa Beyer, a run which included an ace and kills by Gross and Brown.

Dunkirk though again came battling back this time to grab a 24-23 lead.

However, the Mustangs answered the challenge as kills by Brown for points 24 and 26 and an ace by Grace Masse for point 25 helped lock up an overtime 27-25 win and close out the match.

Brown finished with a total of 13 kills, and Gross 7 and Williams 5 each.  Williams also had a total of 11 aces and Gross 6 while  Masse had 24 assists to set a new single season assist record.

The Mustangs will next host the No. 6 Newfane at 6 p.m. Monday in the B-2 semifinals. Newfane bested No. 3 Tonawanda in a five set quarterfinal 21-25, 25-5, 18-25, 25-17, 25-13.

In Class C-1 quarterfinals, No. 1 Akron defeated No. 8 Southwestern 25-23, 25-15, 25-19, No. 6 Roy-Hart bested No. 3 Olmsted 25-11, 25-18, 25-16 and No. 4 Wilson downed No. 5 Gowanda 23-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-11.

Aspen Moore had 12 kills, Olivia Vorholzer 6, Skyler Christopher 4 and Jessi Wood 4 for Roy-Hart. Christopher also had 6 aces and Wood 4.

Meg Musall had 6 kills and Izzy Dinse 10 blocks and 6 aces for Wilson.

Monday’s semifinals will have Wilson at Akron and Roy-Hart at No. 2 Eden, which downed No. 7 JFK in straight sets.

In Section V Class C2 quarterfinal action undefeated (17-0) Byron-Bergen downed East Rochester 25-10, 25-10, 25-21 as Quinn Chapell had 11 aces, Madison Farnsworth 10 kills and Lauren Burke 7 kills.

Medina’s Elle Gross tips the ball over the head of Dunkirk’s Amari Carter.