The Canton junior varsity volleyball team closed their season winning two out of their last three matches.
On Tuesday, Oct. 22, the Bears hit the road for their final away game of the season and swept Madrid-Waddington 25-17, 25-16, and 25-16. The Yellowjackets opened the first set with a 3-0 run, and then were ahead 8-6 before Nevaeh Halpin served four straight points to put the Bears up 10-8. The set stayed closed and then Taylor Martin reeled off eight straight service points to erase a two-point deficit and push the Bears to the win. In the second set, Canton opened with five straight points off the serving of Claire Polniak. The Bears pushed the lead to 10-3 but the Yellow Jackets kept battling and got within four points at 16-12. Canton closed the set with a 9-3 run and capped off the set with an ace from Halpin. The Bears led throughout the third set and used strong serving to close the match. Adrianna Lesperance served three straight points to give the Bears a 7-2 lead. Canton was then ahead 12-10 when Hayley Hamlin served four straight to push it to a 16-10 lead. The score was 23-16 when Zizi Metcalf nailed two consecutive aces to end the match. Harlie Larson had five kills to pace the Bears. Metcalf added three kills and two digs. Martin chipped in with three digs and a kill, and Hamlin finished with two aces and a dig.
The Bears returned home on Thur. Oct. 24 and bested the Potsdam Sandstoners 25-23, 25-21, 22-25. Canton broke open a 1-1 tie in the first set with six straight service points from Arieana St. Andrews, including three aces. Potsdam kept chipping away at the Bears’ lead and eventually went ahead 16-15. After Canton got the serve back, St. Andrews struck for two more aces and the lead was three for Canton. The Bears wouldn’t relinquish the lead and won the set on a Delia Gaurin kill off a nice set from Hamlin. In the second set, Polniak again got the Bears off to a 3-0 start with three service points. Canton held on to lead for most of the set before Potsdam came back to tie the game 21-21. Adrianna Lesperance nailed three straight service points, and the Bears closed out the set winning by four. In the third and final set, the lead went back and forth and then the Sandstoners held the lead near the middle of the set. Canton tied it up at 21-21, but Potsdam took the set and avoided the sweep closing on a 4-1 run. St. Andrews finished with six aces, two kills and a dig. Polniak added three aces and two assists. Gaurin had two kills. Kirsten Holbrook made four digs with an assist, and Halpin contributed four kills and an ace.
In the Bears final game, Canton dropped three close sets to the Ogdensburg Blue Devils, losing 19-25, 20-25, and 19-25. In the opening set, Halpin served four straight points to break a 4-4 early tie. The lead stayed close until the Blue Devils found themselves ahead 23-15. Elle Manno nailed four straight service points to get the Bears within four, but Ogdensburg was able to hold on and take the set. In the second set, the Bears raced out to a 7-3 lead thanks to four straight service points from Maria Franklin and a kill from St. Andrews off an assist from Metcalf. The Bears stretched the lead to 18-11, but strong serving brought the Blue Devils back and they were able to surge ahead and win the set. In the third and final set, OFA led throughout, and despite a valiant effort from the Bears, they were able to close out the match. Gaurin led Canton with two kills, two aces and two digs. Lesperance had two aces. Metcalf contributed four digs and a kill. Manno had two aces. Larson added three kills, and Halpin chipped in with two kills, an ace and a block.
The Bears finished the year 9-6 overall. Head Coach Rob Brown felt the entire team improved throughout the season. “The girl’s skills definitely improved from beginning to end,” he said. “I thought we really came together as a team the second half of the season. All 16 players contributed to a much improved second half. I am so proud of the way we came together to have a winning season. To me, it’s not about wins, it’s about improvement. I thought we showed that for sure. They are a great group of young ladies.”