UTICA – The 2014 FM Lady Raiders knew that they are a good volleyball team and they proved it on Saturday. They won all three of their matches in the Mohawk Valley CC pod event, defeating Niagara County CC 3-1, Jamestown CC 3-0, and Erie CC 3-1. The current weekly Region 3 coaches' poll had Jamestown ranked #4 and Niagara ranked #5 among the 18 teams in the region.
FM vs. Niagara
FM started the day with aggressive play, taking an 8-1 lead on Niagara. The Lady Raiders built on that strong start and won the first set 25-18. The Lady ThunderWolves came back to win the second set 25-20, but the Raiders prevailed in the final two sets 25-21 and 26-24, winning the match three sets to one.
In the first set, a nice block by Kaylee Gillen gave FM a 2-1 lead. Freshman Katlyn Pierce's kill made it 5-1. That powerful play also served notice that Pierce would be a force to be reckoned with.
Head Coach Rachael Salvione used a seven-player rotation, and all seven Raiders made solid contributions.
Photo: Zara Hyde serves to Niagara
A forcing shot by Elizabeth Hayward made the score 9-3. Pierce killed again, and it was 10-3. Niagara fought back, but FM had the set under control. The Raiders led 21-11, and went on to win the set 25-18.
Niagara got a fresh start in the second set, and FM ran into some problems with consistency and, perhaps, confidence. Soon Niagara led 14-8. A Whitney Ostrander block and saves by Hayward and Gillen helped narrow the score to 15-13. A Pierce kill knotted the score at 16-all, but Niagara pulled out in front and won the set 25-20.
The third set was full on tension. The lead went back and forth. The tally was tied at 11-11, 12-12, and 13-13. Then FM took the lead at 16-14 and never trailed again. However, Niagara closed to 21-20 before a Pierce kill and a great rally gave FM a hint of breathing room. The Raiders won the set 25-21.
The final set also went back and forth for quite a while. The score was tied often. Niagara went ahead 24-22 and Salvione called a time out. Her charges won the next four points and the match. FM won 26-24 and three sets to one. The win helped set the tone for the Raiders' day.
Stat summary for the Niagara match: Whitney Ostrander - 15 kills and 5 blocks; Katlyn Pierce - 23 kills and 17 blocks; Kaylee Robinson - 7 kills and 8 digs; Kaylee Gillen - 42 digs; Zara Hyde - 2 aces, 15 digs, 43 assists and 1 block; Liz Hayward - 21 digs and 3 kills Karissa Morey - 14 digs
FM vs. Jamestown
The Jayhawks were not only the Region 3's #4-ranked team as the day began, they are also the defending runners-up from the 2013 regional tournament.
Jamestown owned a slim lead in the first set until an Ostrander block evened the score at 7-7. A dandy back-to-the-net shot by Zara Hyde put FM ahead 11-10. Gillen's kill made it 12-12. Another kill by Pierce put FM up by two, at 15-13.
The stubborn Jayhawks closed to 22-21, but a block and a kill by Ostrander and a Hayward block gave FM the 25-21 win.
Jamestown battled to a 10-4 lead in the second set, but FM went on an impressive scoring run and passed the Jayhawks at 15-14. The set stayed oh-so-close, and Jamestown tied things at 22-all. Then a key Pierce save and an Ostrander kill spurred FM on to the 25-23 win.
Photo: Katlyn Pierce blasts her first kill of the day
The final set was dominated by FM. The Raiders trailed 2-1 but never trailed again. They enjoyed a 10-point lead at 19-9 and 20-10, and won the set 25-14. The match was a strong 3-0 shutout by FM.
Stat summary: Whitney Ostrander - 10 kills and 7 blocks; Katlyn Pierce - 11 kills and 8 blocks; Liz Hayward - 5 kills and 18 digs; Kaylee Gillen - 22 digs and 2 kills; Kaylee Robinson - 6 kills and 5 digs; Karissa Morey - 7 digs and one kill; Zara Hyde - 22 assists, 2 blocks, and 11 digs
FM vs. Erie
The Lady Raiders controlled play for most of the first two sets, defeating the Kats 25-15 and 25-20. Then, perhaps, some fatigue set in.
The Raiders seemed to lose their focus in the third set, making a few more unforced errors than usual, and attacking a bit less than they had been. The Kats won the set 25-22.
FM got back on track for the fourth set. With Gillen serving, a Pierce block gave the Raiders a 3-2 lead, and they led the rest of the way. A Pierce kill made it 8-3. A forcing shot by Robinson made it 9-3, and a kill by Robinson upped the score to 10-3.
The Raiders were in control. Robinson made another forcing shot. 15-6. An Ostrander kill made it 17-7. A deft flick by Hyde let FM double the Kats' score at 18-9. The final score was 25-12.
Stat summary: Kaylee Gillen - 3 kills, 36 digs, and 2 assists; Whitney Ostrander - 7 kills, 5 blocks, and 8 digs; Karissa Morey had 3 kills, 8 digs, and 1 assist; Liz Hayward - 3 kills, 14 digs; Katlyn Pierce - 18 kills, 4 blocks, and 5 digs; Kaylee Robinson - 5 kills, 14 digs
Three Wins
Teams from western New York along with SUNY Adirondack have dominated Region 3 play in recent years. Saturday's performance by the Lady Raiders suggests that FM should now be considered a member of Region 3's upper echelon.
Head Coach Rachael Salvione was very pleased with the results, stating, "Niagara is a very tough team, as is Jamestown. I'm pleased that we played so well against them."
The Lady Raiders' next outing will be on Wednesday, September 17, when they host the Lady Vikings of Hudson Valley CC at 7:00 p.m. in the FMCC main gym.
C.J. Bonny, website writer
Note: Click here for video highlights from the three matches.
Photo: Whitney Ostrander keeps the ball in play with her back to the net
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