Somers volleyball falls to Rye in section title match

SOMERS, N.Y. - After sweeping their way to the sectional finals, Somers faced a different fate at the Westchester County Center on Sunday, Nov. 8. Against Rye, Somers won the third set and held a 14-11 lead in the fourth. But the relentless defense and ferocious hitting that won the first two sets for Rye returned, and it was just a little too much.

Down to the wire, Rye took the final set by a score of 25-22, and Somers had to settle for second place.

Rye wasted no time getting started. Charlie Wing landed a dink, Maegan Brown's kill was turned back by the Garnets' front line, and Katie Hillis knocked down two kills for a 6-2 lead.

Of course, Somers wasn't about to submit. Alivia Donaldson and Katie Kourakos delivered a pair of aces, Maegan Brown added a kill, and after a diving save at the net, the Tuskers had Claire Cronin set up for a kill.

With the score tied, Kourakos dropped another short serve to grab an 8-7 lead. A kill from the middle by Rye stopped the run, so Somers started another one. It began when Brynn Robinson made an amazing diving save along the back line, and Somers scored on a mishit.

Rye came back to tie the score at 10, but the Garnets gave it right back. After Morgan Brown pushed a shot down the line, Rye committed two errors to give Somers a 13-10 lead.

Now, Rye wasn't so impressed. Audre Campbell began with a kill, and Giorgia Brizio followed with two straight aces. Not done, Rye continued with four kills, a block, a dink and one more Brizio ace.

Abby Babboni finally interrupted the run with a kill. Down 20-14, the Tuskers looked cooked, especially when Hillis delivered a kill to give her team a 24-15 lead. Instead, Ella Barron executed a kill, and Donaldson added two straight aces.

Two Rye errors and a Maegan Brown kill suddenly made it a three-point game. Rye called timeout, and the Garnets dug in upon their return. On Morgan Brown's dink, Rye made three amazing digs to keep the point alive before sending the ball over for a 25-21 win.

Moving on to the second set, Somers initially kept pace. The Tuskers opened with Babboni's winning dink and continued when Shari Marrero won a battle at the net. Her diving save off the top of the net forced Rye to spike long, making it 6-5.

Unfortunately for Somers, two errors and powerful swings by Brizio and Wing opened a 10-5 lead. A push by Kourakos stopped the run, but Brizio maintained the five-point advantage with another ace.

Still, Somers made up ground. Morgan Brown blocked Wing, and after Kourakos made a diving save, Marrero brought the Tuskers within three with a kill. The difference remained when Hillis hit out to make it 14-10, but that was as close as Somers would get.

Hillis dropped an off-speed spike and sparked her team to a 19-12 lead. There would be no comeback this time, as Rye took the set 25-13.

Whether Rye let up or Somers' pride took over, there would be no sweep. Babboni and Marrero opened with kills, and two diving saves by Robinson led to a 3-1 Tuskers advantage.

Maegan Brown then blocked down an errant bump, and her sister joined the act. Morgan Brown dropped a dink from the middle for a 7-4 lead, and even though Rye kept pace with a Brizio kill, Barron kept the Garnets at arm's length with a kill to make it 10-7.

Somers showed it could hit the ground running, too. The Tuskers made multiple digs on the next point, and Babboni finished the rally with a kill that gave her team a five-point lead.

An Almquist ace made it 13-7, and then the two big hitters battled. Hillis went up for the hit, but Babboni knocked it back for a 14-8 Somers lead.

Rye hung around on kills by Hillis and Wing, but Babboni tightened the screws. After a kill from the left and a short serve by Kourakos that forced a long Rye bump, the tall Tusker showed no mercy. She slammed it down, and Somers led 19-13.

Babboni also won a 50-50 battle at the net, and with a 22-15 advantage, Somers cruised to a 25-17 win.

With momentum on their side, the Tuskers got going in the fourth set. Kourakos dug a Rye spike, and Cronin turned the live ball into a kill. Rye wasn't about to go quietly, though.

Campbell turned a kill and a block into a 3-1 lead, and despite Somers coming back to take a 4-3 advantage, the Garnets maintained the upper hand. Along with a few Somers errors, Hillis delivered a kill, and Rye led 7-4.

She extended the lead to 9-5 with another kill, so the Tuskers sharpened their tusks. Maegan Brown slammed a shot from the left, Donaldson followed with an ace, and then the Brown sisters teamed up against the Garnets. Morgan blocked and Maegan delivered a kill, tying the score at 10.

Not for long. Morgan Brown added a block, and after two Rye miscues, Cronin's kill opened a 14-11 lead.

Of course, Rye wasn't giving in. Hillis broke the run with an off-speed spike, and Campbell tied the score with a spike from the middle.

There was no slowing down, as Campbell and Wing delivered two more kills. With a three-point lead, Rye was eight points away from the championship.

Cronin's dink stalled Rye, but two more kills by Campbell kept the Garnets rolling. Somers called timeout, and the break slowed Rye's momentum. Strong defense forced a Garnets error, and Almquist followed with two aces to make it 21-20.

Another timeout changed the pace, this time stopping Somers' momentum. Almquist served just long, and Rye was three points away.

Still, Somers refused to go quietly. Babboni dropped a dink from the middle, and although Maegan Brown was blocked on her next attempt, the hitter kept her head up.

She wound up and knocked down a kill to cut the deficit to 23-22. Even so, Rye had an answer. Brizio was set twice and found the floor both times, ending Somers' championship hopes and bringing a great season to a close.