Fredonia's Londyn Wilmot jumps to place the ball over two Windsor defenders in Saturday's NYSPHSAA Class B regional volleyball match at Candor Excessive College. OBSERVER Picture by Christian Storms
CANDOR — Just some seasons in the past, the Fredonia women volleyball crew struggled to win matches, however on Saturday afternoon at Candor Excessive College, the Hillbillies discovered themselves one win away from a berth within the State Athletic Affiliation championships New York Public Excessive College, Class B.
The one factor standing in Fredonia's manner was the part that gained all of it final 12 months, however this time represented by a younger Windsor crew that wasn't certain if it could even make the playoffs.
Not solely did Part IV's Windsor present it belonged within the playoffs, however the Black Knights confirmed they have been the true deal as they swept Part VI's Fredonia 25-21, 25-21, 25- 16 to advance to the state closing 4 subsequent week on the Glens. Falls.
“These children are extremely younger and once we began observe on August 21, we have been questioning if we have been going to make the playoffs,” Windsor head coach Scott Symons stated. “Now these children are within the closing 4 of the state match, it's indescribable.”
Having to play a sub-regional recreation earlier than Saturday's journey, Fredonia began early to show it belonged within the regional recreation and did simply that.
Fredonia's Katherine Fortna hits the ball over the web throughout a NYSPHSAA Class B regional towards Part IV Windsor at Candor Excessive College on Saturday. OBSERVER Picture by Christian Storms
“This can be a very particular group of women” Fredonia head coach Amanda Krakowiak stated. “I've been with their core group for the final three years. They’re so hardworking, they’re so devoted, they’re an incredible group of women to work with. I’m so happy with all the things they’ve achieved since they began till now. They've actually proven a whole lot of development, they're very passionate in regards to the recreation and that's all a coach can ask for.”
With Windsor the primary crew to drag away within the first set utilizing a 6-point run to take a 16-9 lead over the Hillbillies, Fredonia wanted a solution.
After breaking the run, Fredonia got here again with a 6-point run of their very own, which included an ace from Lydia LaBarr, and earlier than you knew it, the sport was 16-15.
“The one factor I like about my women is that they struggle” Krakowiak acknowledged. “They struggle tooth and nail, they gained't let something get to them they usually're very passionate. They really need this and I used to be actually happy with them for not simply backing down and giving up.”
It was tight till the top, with Fredonia even taking a 20-19 lead after Elizabeth Morris hit an ace, however the Black Knights have been headed to their aim. Windsor didn't enable consecutive factors the remainder of the set and closed out the opening win 25-21.
Regardless of letting the primary set slip away, Fredonia got here out hungry within the second because it scored the primary 5 factors on a pair of aces from Kaylen Rollins.
Fredonia led and seemed like the higher crew for a lot of the second set, however Windsor wouldn't go away and Fredonia's failure to go on lengthy runs left the body in play.
As Fredonia's offense stagnated, Windsor chipped away, then heated up when it mattered most.
“That they had a robust offense once they set him up,” Krakowiak stated of the Black Knights. “We didn't have many alternatives to launch our assault. A couple of occasions once we made our photographs they didn't have the consistency right now that they've had within the final two video games.”
With Fredonia up 20-17, Windsor picked the proper time for a run, scoring three in a row, together with an ace from Rylie Conrow. Fredonia stopped the run and held the ultimate result in 21-20, however in any other case there was no reply because the Black Knights scored 5 straight to clinch a state victory.
“Our children have been doing this all 12 months” Symons stated of his crew. “I've been digging a ditch all 12 months and the children are discovering a manner again. I didn't even take a break as a result of I actually believed the children have been going to get their manner, they usually did each occasions.”
The third set was up for grabs a lot of the manner as each offenses couldn’t string collectively factors with the competition even tied at 15-15.
Then, with the cap, just a few shut calls and some errors, Fredonia's season started to slide away. Windsor took management of the sport once more with Conrow on the service line and the Black Knights scored 5 in a row for a 20-15 lead.
Fredonia finally ended the run, however there was no reply, as Windsor scored 4 in a row earlier than sealing its ticket to Glens Falls with a 25-17 win.
“It was an unimaginable race” Symons stated of this season. “I'm surrounded by nice dad and mom and I’ve nice children.”
Fredonia's season ends only one win in need of the state semifinals, a far cry from the place the primary group of seniors started.
“The ladies trusted me, I requested a whole lot of them” Krakowiak stated of this group. “I respect that they trusted the method and needed it, that they had coronary heart. That's the place all of it begins, they put in all that point in the summertime and within the offseason and it's the little issues that make it easier to take huge steps ahead.”
The Hillbillies have been led by Londyn Wilmot with six kills, 5 digs and a block, Morris had 4 kills, two aces and led with 10 digs, LaBarr completed with 4 kills, two aces, six digs and a block, Maddie Saunders made 13 assists. , six digs, one ace, one block and three kills, and Rollins had two aces and 6 digs.
“These will likely be large sneakers to fill for certain,” Krakowiak stated of her small group of seniors. “We have now superb seniors who present nice management, they’re encouraging, they’re constructive and they’re positively an enormous drive on the court docket. They are going to be significantly missed as a result of they bring about a lot ardour and struggle day-after-day to the sport and have actually impressed the youthful women they play with.”
Whereas the loss stings, Fredonia can have rather a lot to sit up for subsequent 12 months as it would graduate simply 4 seniors, bringing again a now playoff seasoned group led by Londyn Wilmot, who can have two extra seasons with the Billies.
“Makes imagine they really can” Krakowiak stated of the returning gamers who earned that playoff expertise. “It's one factor as a coach to say, 'I imagine in you, I do know you’ll be able to,' however to really see that. Ladies see that it may be performed, so it makes it extra tangible, extra plausible, so that they make investments a bit of extra in that aim.”
This marks the second straight season that Part VI has had its season finish by the hands of Part IV, as eventual state champion Lansing knocked off Southwestern within the state semifinals a 12 months in the past. Even with a younger crew, Windsor has excessive expectations heading into states subsequent weekend.
“I feel we have now some actually good volleyball in our space” Symons stated. “We need to proceed to indicate the remainder of the state that Part IV is simply as sturdy as everybody else.”