BBC CHAMPS … Hilltop junior Libbie Baker (left) looks to slam home one of her 20 kills in the match while Pettisville’s Olivia Miller attempts a block. GAME STORY INSIDE SPORTS. (PHOTO BY RICH HARDING / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
By: Nate Calvin
WEST UNITY (October 10, 2023) – Hilltop dominated the first set and bounced back after dropping the second to win the third and fourth sets to clinch their third straight outright BBC championship with a four-set win over the Blackbirds.
The first set was all Hilltop as five kills from Libbie Baker and Elena VanArsdalen served up three aces give the Cadets an 8-0 lead.
Following a Blackbird timeout, Pettisville was able to put consecutive points on the board before an 8-2 run by Hilltop stretched their advantage to 16-4.
The Cadets maintained a comfortable margin the remainder of the set and a block by Baker closed out a 25-10 win in the first set.
It was a strong start to the second set for Pettisville as they jumped to a 6-2 lead that was followed by an 8-3 spurt by the Cadets ending with back-to-back kills from Brynn Rodriguez to put Hilltop in front 10-9.
The score would then be tied on seven occasions (10-10, 11-11, 12-12, 14-14, 15-15, 16-16, 18-18) before a 5-0 Pettisville run gave the Blackbirds a commanding 23-18.
Miley Harris and Becca Strauss each delivered kills for Pettisville to close out a 25-21 win and even the match at one set apiece.
The third set opened with four ties before Hilltop would take an 8-5 lead that was answered by a 5-1 Pettisville run to put the Blackbirds on top at 10-9.
Hilltop then took the lead for good with a 4-0 spurt to go up 13-10 and an ace by Baker later in the set made it 20-15 in favor of Hilltop, forcing a Pettisville timeout.
Pettisville trimmed the Hilltop lead to 21-18 but a 4-1 run by the Cadets ended the set (25-21) and put them one set way from another league title.
A kill from Baker gave Hilltop a 4-1 lead but the Blackbirds would respond with five straight points, ending with an ace by Strauss, to put Pettisville ahead 6-4.
It was Hilltop’s turn for a scoring run, this one 6-0, to take a 10-6 lead before a kill by Pettisville sophomore Naomi Richer ended the surge.
Hilltop pushed the lead to 15-9 and after three kills and an ace by Rodriguez, the lead was at 20-13.
Leading 21-16, Hilltop tallied the last four points of the night, ending with Hilltop’s 23rd ace of the night as a team, this one from Brooklyn Kuszmaul, to take the set 25-16 and the match 3-1.
VanArsdalen served up seven of Hilltop’s aces to go along with her 20 digs and 17 assists. Rodriguez ended the night with 22 digs, 12 kills while Baker went 48/51 hitting with 20 kills.
Richer wound up with 11 kills, 22 digs for the Blackbirds and Strauss tallied nine kills and 13 digs.
Hilltop d. Pettisville 25-10, 21-25, 25-19, 25-16
Pettisville (12-9, 4-2 BBC) – Naomi Richer: 11 kills, 22 digs; Grace Hastings: 50/51 setting, 15 assists; Becca Strauss: 9 kills, 13 digs
Hilltop (19-2, 6-0 BBC) – Elena VanArsdalen: 21/23 serving (15 pts), 7 aces, 20 digs, 60/60 setting, 17 assists; Joscelyn Layman: 11/12 serving, 5 aces, 12 assists; Brynn Rodriguez: 22 digs, 31/33 hitting, 12 kills; Libbie Baker: 16/16 serving, 4 aces, 48/51 hitting, 20 kills; Brooklyn Kuszmaul: 17/18 serving (12 pts, 5 aces, 8 digs
Junior Varsity: Hilltop, 25-15, 25-22
Nate can be reached at sports@thevillagereporter.com