Spikers top Storm for regional title

MANLIUS — Mendota used a pair of mid-set rallies to claim the momentum over the host Storm Saturday night at the Bureau Valley Class 2A regional championship, and held on in both sets to register a 25-19, 25-17 win.

The victory marked the second-straight regional title triumph for the Spikers over Bureau Valley.

“In the game of volleyball, especially rally score, momentum is everything,” said Spikers coach Jeanne McKenzie. “You need to make those runs. You need to stay with a team, within a couple points here or there ... and anytime you can get a run on them, that’s it.”

After Mendota claimed a first-set win, the two teams traded points to an 8-8 tie in the second affair. The Storm kept close, drawing within a point, at 11-12, on a tip from Gabriela Fisch.

Following an errant Storm spike into the net, Mendota’s Emily Cagan stepped up big for the Spikers, registering four kills and a block in the next six volleys as Mendota jumped out to a 12-18 lead. 

“It was really important,” said Cagan, who said she gave herself a mental pep-talk before the rally. “We had that big stretch and it gave us the advantage.”

Cagan, who led all players with nine kills, was “on fire” McKenzie said, notching “seven big kills” in the second set.

“I told my setters  ‘Get her the ball, she’s hot’,” McKenzie said.

After their home-stretch push, the Spikers were able to keep their cushion over the Storm, closing things out at 25-17 with a spike from Kalli Scheppers.

“We had bright moments, I’ve got to give the team credit, they did battle,” said Storm coach Vicki Litherland.  “Mendota’s a nice ball club, we came up short in a couple of areas, had a couple of hitters not be able to get on the board.

“It was a great run for us finishing 21-11,” said Litherland “It was a really a great season. I don’t think anyone’s disappointed. Sure we would have liked to win the regional obviously ... it just wasn’t our night tonight.”

After falling behind 6-2 early in the opening set, Mendota clawed back to tie things up at 6-6 and 10-10. From there the Spikers staked a 15-13 lead that they saw grow to a 20-13 advantage after four-straight points behind the serve of Bri Pohl.