By CHRIS BROOKS
The Lady Lions of Wellsville could not have put together a more brilliant performance to send all four of their senior leaders out in style. Monday night, their final week of regular season action began with an absolute bang with Genesee Valley/Belfast in town, taking control of the pace from start to finish in their straight-set, 25-12, 25-10, 25-11 dominant sweep in the Lion’s Den.
Wellsville head coach Shannon Steiner spoke of her four seniors and their many contributions that they have provided for the program since she first stepped in just a couple of years ago, including the team’s newcomer Ane Molina, who is the team’s foreign exchange student who hails from Spain.
Along with Molina, the Lady Lions will graduate Bry Moultrup, Emma Dunaway and Macey Wyant at year’s end, this June.
“Ane is a foreign exchange student from Spain and she brings a wonderful spirit and happiness to the team,” Steiner said. “The other three girls I have had the pleasure of coaching for a couple of years now, and they have grown tremendously during their time here as volleyball players. Bry has become an amazing force outside, Macey has mastered as libero and Emma has made the right side into one of the strongest positions on the court. They all will be missed very much on and off the court.”
As for the team’s 11th win in 13 games, the Lady Lions (11-2) had no problem taking care of business from all fronts, as Moultrup led the offense with seven kills, five digs and four aces. From the back line, Lindsey Stuck recorded seven more aces and three kills, while Wyant helped the defensive efforts with four more digs and three aces of her own, while Averee Palmatier (three kills, two aces) set things up at the net with her 11 assists.
Genesee Valley/Belfast (1-15) was paced by a four-kill, two-dig night from Madison McKenzie. Setter Cassidy Hand helped provide some play-making at the front of the net with her five assists. Up next on their slate will be a 6 p.m. first serve back home in the Jungle against Houghton Academy, Thursday night.
The Lady Lions will look to keep their hot end of the season aflame on Wednesday, as they host the Lady Eagles of Fillmore in a 7:30 p.m. first serve.
Olean 3, Bolivar-Richburg 2
OLEAN — In what was a back-and-forth battle all night long, the Lady Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg were pushed to the brink by host Olean on Monday in their latest road trip.
But like they’ve done for most of the season, they found a way to fight back in a dominant fourth set to force the game towards its ultimate boiling point in the fifth and final set of the night. Across it, a fight until the end — one that the Lady Huskies made sure they won with the final two points, as they captured the thrilling five-set victory by a 12-25, 25-18, 25-20, 16-25, 15-13 win.
Despite the defeat against the Section VI power, the Lady Wolverines (9-5) saw a strong performance from all fronts on the floor, with Carmen Crowley and Kori Thomas both leading the offense, with Crowley recording 12 kills and 10 blocks while Thomas provided a near-mimicking performance of her own behind 11 blocks and 10 kills.
From the service line, Haley Mascho tallied nine aces while Brena Walp had seven more of her own to add along with 11 digs on defense. Setter Willow Worth dished out 25 assists to help bring everything together for the Bolivar-Richburg offense.
Up next is a 7:30 p.m. first serve back on the road Wednesday for the Lady Wolverines, as they visit Cuba-Rushford.
Cuba-Rushford 3, Fillmore 0
CUBA — A conduction of a fine start by the Lady Rebels of Cuba-Rushford was what set the tone in their return to the floor on Monday, as their end-of-the-season momentum into Sectionals next week continues to roll on towards their fourth win in the last five games, taking the 25-12, 25-23, 25-13 straight-set victory over visiting Fillmore in the Wighthouse.
Bri Green’s guiding of the offense helped the Lady Rebels (8-5) towards big things across all three sets of action, as she recorded a team-high eight kills to pair with two aces and a block up front. Jordyn Radomski furthered the team’s cause with four more kills of her own, adding them alongside two digs on defense and one ace, while setter Kendall Tompkins dished out 21 assists to couple with four additional aces and three digs.
Stats for the Lady Eagles (7-8) were not made available to report upon publication.
Both teams are back in action Wednesday night in a pair of 7:30 p.m. battles, with the Lady Rebels staying home to welcome in Bolivar-Richburg, while Fillmore hits the road once more to visit Wellsville.
Houghton Academy 3, Hinsdale 0
HINSDALE — From beginning to end, the Lady Panthers of Houghton Academy were at the top of their game on Monday, as they traveled over the road to Hinsdale and came back home victorious with a dominant straight set sweep of the Lady Bobcats, earning the 25-6, 25-9, 25-23 win.
Stats for each team were not made available to report upon publication.
The Lady Panthers (7-7) head back home to host Canisteo-Greenwood in a 6 p.m. first serve on Wednesday, while the Lady Bobcats (2-12) remain at home to welcome in Archbishop Walsh for a 6 p.m. contest of their own on Thursday for Senior Night.
GIRLS TENNIS
‘Class B State Qualifier: Honeoye Falls-Lima 5, Wellsville 0
MENDON — A magnificent season for the Lady Lions of Wellsville has officially closed its books at the Mendon Racquet Club on Monday, as their journey for glory came to an end in the Class B State Qualifier against Class B1 Champion Honeoye Falls-Lima, who took all five victories for the 5-0 shutout.
In the singles department, Sarah Mattison gave it her all at third singles for the Lady Lions (14-1), as she took a fantastic first-set lead with a 6-1 win, but the rebound by the Lady Cougars and Elliana Davis was even bigger, as she scored wins in the next two sets, including a third-set tiebreak to steal the win away to power up what was a sweep of all three matches.
Both Samantha Bidzerkowny and Meagan Riley fell in straight sets to their opposition at first and second singles, respectively.
The same result was issued for both of Wellsville’s doubles teams — Caitlin Bittel and Hanna Miles at first doubles, and Kelsey Seely and McKenna Wonderling at second doubles, as they fell to Honeoye Falls-Lima with straight-set defeats.
A phenomenal 2022 campaign is now over for the Lady Lions, as they wrap up the season with their only loss of the season coming to the Lady Cougars, with a record of 14-1 overall and their first Section V Championship since 2014.
Singles
1. Madelyn Langley (HFL) def. Samantha Bidzerkowny (WLSV), 6-2, 6-2.
2. Hazel Jokl (HFL) def. Meagan Riley (WLSV), 6-1, 6-1.
3. Elliana Davis (HFL) def. Sarah Mattison (WLSV), 1-6, 6-3, 7-6.
Doubles
1. Ellie Casler/Ava Youngblut (HFL) def. Caitlin Bittel/Hanna Miles (WLSV), 6-1, 6-1.
2. Sydney Emerson/Mary Repass (HFL) def. Kelsey Seely/McKenna Wonderling (WLSV) 6-0, 6-2.
