Medina spikers top Newfane in B-2 semis

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 30 October 2017 at 8:17 pm

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Camri King spikes over Newfane’s Faith Morgan during the Mustangs four set sectional semifinal victory over the visiting Lady Panthers this evening.

Advancing to the finals for the first time in over 20 years, No. 2 seed Medina outlasted visiting Niagara-Orleans League foe No. 6 Newfane in four sets 25-18, 21-25, 25-8, 25-22 this evening in the semifinals of the Section VI Class B-2 volleyball playoffs.

Medina, which last reached the finals in 1995, will now face the No. 1 Alden, a five set victor over No. 4 Springville in the other semi, for the B-2 championship at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Daemen College. Ironically, the Mustangs captured the B-2 title in both 1994 and 1995 with victories over Alden.

Maddie Williams had 10 spiking kills and 7 service aces to lead the way for Medina as Je’ne Brown had 8 kills, Camri King 3 kills, Grace Masse 5 aces and Elle Gross 4 aces.

Alyssa Beyer returns service for Medina.

The opening set sea-sawed back-and-forth with 5 ties and 4 lead changes, before Medina moved on top to stay at 18-15 after Williams served up points 16-18, a run which included a block by Masse and a tip by Brown for points.

Acss by Gross for point 20, Masse for point 22 and Leah Sheelar for point 25 then polished off the set for the Mustangs.

Newfane though battled back to knot the match by taking the second set as Olivia Beilein had a key late run of 4 straight points, 21-24, including a pair of aces.

However, Medina answered back with a lopsided win in the third set to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

Williams sparked that win for the Mustangs as she served up the first four points, including an ace, and later had a big seven point run (17-23), including 4 aces. She also had 4 kills in the set.

Gross then closed out the set with an ace.

The clincher though proved to be much closer as the fourth set was tied no less than 12 times.

Trailing 21-20, Medina got key back-to-back kills by Williams and King to regain a 22-21 lead.

The Lady Panthers which got 2 kills by Faith Morgan and 2 each by Mackenzie Perry and Erin Harrington in the set, did pull even one more time at 22-21 on a side out but the next three points, the set and the match belonged to the Mustangs.

Alyssa Beyer served up the final two points for the Mustangs as a tip by Williams polished off point 24.

“They came though when the game was on the line,” said Medina Coach Tim Lincoln.

The Mustangs had also defeated the Lady Panthers twice during the N-O season, both times in four sets.

In Class C-1 semifinals, No. 1 Akron defeated No. 4 Wilson and No. 2 Eden downed No. 6 Roy-hart, both in three sets.

Medina’s Faith Henning sets over the hands of the Newfane duo of Mackenzie Perry and Sydney Watier.