Hudson, NY – The #3-seeded FM Lady Raiders ended their 2013 volleyball season with a thrilling performance against the #2-seeded Herkimer Generals in the Mountain Valley Conference Tournament hosted by Columbia-Greene CC on Saturday.
FM made Herkimer work hard for their victory. The Raiders led 18-17 in the first set before bowing 25-19.
Photo: The Raiders attack – from left: Gabrielle Hale, Sarah Wyzomirski, Caitlyn Hayward, and Elizabeth Hayward
FM won the second set 25-23. Herkimer led 16-15, but a Sarah Wyzomirski block tied the score. Two aces by Gabby Hale put FM ahead 17-16 and 19-16. A sweet placement by Shelbey Lyons made the score 22-19. Steady play by FM closed out the set with a 25-23 FM win.
HCCC took the third set 25-21. A Taylor Wetsky save and a Whitney Ostrander block gave FM a 3-1 lead. FM won the next point, but Herkimer almost put the set out of reach by winning the next 10 points and gaining an 11-4 lead. HCCC continued to control the set for a while, but then FM made a memorable comeback.
Photo: Emily Robinson attacks
A deft placement shot by Shelbey Lyons closed the gap to 23-14. Wetsky's block made it 23-16. Sarah Wyzomirski's dink added a point. Her kill shot made the score 23-19. FM's comeback, however, fell short, and Herkimer took the set 25-21.
The final set saw plenty of good play by both teams. The ultra-close set saw several tied scores, including 6-6, 14-14, 23-23, and 24-24 – that final tie coming from a Wyzomirski kill. But Herkimer won the final two points, taking the set 26-24 and winning the match 3-1.
Herkimer went on to win the championship match, defeating SUNY Adirondack 3-2. The Lady Raiders finished third in the seven-team conference.
Head Coach Rachael Salvione stated, "I'm really proud of these girls. They played well today, and much better than when we met Herkimer in the regular season."
FM's freshman Whitney Ostrander (see photo below) had been a standout all season and was named to the All-Conference Team. The all-conference players were introduced prior to the championship game.
C.J. Bonny, website writer
Click here for video highlights of the season and the conference tournament.
Stat highlights for FM:
Sarah Wyzomirski: 14 kills and 5 blocks
Emily Robinson: 2 kills, 12 digs and 2 digs
Taylor Wetsky: 6 blocks and 2 kills
Caitlyn Hayward: 17 digs and 2 aces
Liz Hayward: 2 kills, 13 digs, and 2 aces
Whitney Ostrander: 10 kills, 4 blocks, 2 aces, and 4 digs
Gabby Hale: 3 aces and 7 digs
Shelbey Lyons: 2 aces, 6 digs, 1 kill,1 block, and 27 assists
Photo: Whitney Ostrander goes high to block a Herkimer shot – other Raiders pictured, from left: Emily Robinson, Shelbey Lyons, and Caitlyn Hayward
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