Sweet Home places second at own tournament
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Sweet Home's varsity girls volleyball team has played in three tournaments this season but saved its best performance for its own tourney.

Sweet Home placed second in the gold bracket at the Sweet Home Tournament last Saturday. The Lady Panthers fell 21-25, 15-25, to powerhouse Lancaster in the finals.

Lady Panthers coach Breean Trampasso said her team was up six points in the first game before Lancaster came back to win.

"We definitely should have won the first game but lost our momentum," she said. "(Lancaster) had no one dominating player. We ended up hurting ourselves."

Sweet Home went 4-0 in pool play, defeating Niagara-Wheatfield, Sacred Heart, Frontier and City Honors, then split against Clarence, 25-17, 18-25, in the gold

bracket. Because Sweet Home beat Clarence by one more point, they advanced to the finals.

Sweet Home outside hitter Krista Prentice was named to the all-tournament team.

In other tournaments this season, the Lady Panthers beat Lake Shore for the gold bracket of the Frontier of the Frontier Tournament (ninth of 20) on Sept. 16 and Warwick in the silver bracket of the Burnt Hills Invitational in Albany (ninth out of 16) Sept. 9.

Sweet Home, now in ECIC Division II, is unbeaten at 4-0. The Lady Panthers have defeated Williamsville South, Hamburg, Iroquois, and Lake Shore. They lost non-league matches to Frontier and Lancaster, both in four

games.

"We took a game (against Lancaster) which was awesome," said Trampasso. "It probably could have gone five."

Trampasso has seen her team evolve since the first match of the season against Frontier.

"It seemed we were real tentative, almost nervous like we weren't ready to be out there and not clicking as a team," said Trampasso. "But they're really coming together and communicating a lot more. They seem a lot more comfortable on the court with each other."

Trampasso said a big reason for the team's improvement has been from the play of sophomore setter Kelsey Maving.

"Our offense is quicker now," said Trampasso. "It was a little slow to begin with but Kelsey Maving is really starting to speed things up. All of the hitters are actually responding well to that. She's young but she's starting to get that creativity where she's mixing the offense up. I think the communication has (also) increased."

Another reason for the team's early success has come from their defense. Defensive players who have stepped up include right side hitter Melissa Heckathorn, Jill Reeser, Shannon Memminger. Victoria Kindron, and Michelle Price.

"We do have a good offense but our defense is tough because we have so many defensive players," said Trampasso.

A third reason for Sweet Home's success comes from having a small team.

"I have 13 players and everybody goes on the court at some point," said Trampasso. "It's actually kind of a neat thing that I have so many options."

Team leaders in statistical categories include Prentice averaging 15-20 kills per match, Kelly Roberts in blocks, and Carol Skoney and Prentice in digs. Trampasso also liked the work from Victoria Henry in kills at the Sweet Home Tournament. Roberts and Ellie Allen average five to eight kills a match.

Sweet Home travels to Williamsville East on Wednesday and hosts Hamburg on Friday. They play in the Eden Tournament on Saturday.

To have success, especially against East, Trampasso said her team has to play their game.

"I think if we run the stuff that we know how to run and pass well we're going to be tough," she said.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com