Girls Volleyball
Sweet Home repeats as section champs, falls in regionals
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Sweet Home's Melissa Heckathorn blocks the shot of Lake Shore's Maureen Tilert during the Lady Panthers' 26-24, 25-23, 25-19 win in the Section VI Class A finals at Daemen College. Sweet Home lost in three games to Section V's Wayne in the Far West Regionals on Saturday at Genesee Community College. Photo by Joe Eberle

Sweet Home coach Breean Trampasso said her team was ready for its Class A Far West Regional with Section V's Wayne on Saturday at Genesee Community College. The problem is her team didn't play up to its abilities.

Wayne, led by outside hitter Leah Hill's 15 kills, 13 digs and seven aces, eliminated the Lady Panthers, 25-12, 25-14, 27-25.

"I feel that we were more prepared for the match than we showed," Trampasso said. "We really did practice a lot for their one big gun (outside hitter Leah Hill). But every time she went up, she got a kill. We just didn't execute."

Trampasso said her team trailed 11-1 in the first game thanks to poor passing which didn't allow them to set to their big hitters such as Krista Prentice.

"Our passing was terrible," she said. "Every time we gave the ball to them it was like a free ball. They were just taking advantage of it and putting the ball straight down... If we would have played like we did on Tuesday (beat Lake Shore in the Class A finals), it would have been a much more competitive match. The third game we finally stepped up."

Prentice led Sweet Home with nine kills and five digs. Melissa Heckathorn, Kelly Roberts, Ellie Allen, and Debra Conti each had two kills. Kelsey Maving blocked three shots and dished out 20 assists.

To advance to regionals, Sweet Home beat Lake Shore, 26-24, 25-23, 25-19, for the Section VI Class A title on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at Daemen College. Sweet Home had already beaten Lake Shore twice in the regular season and once in a tournament.

Lake Shore led early in the first and second games only for the Lady Panthers to come back.

"They came out strong in the beginning and we came out slightly flat," said Trampasso. "They came serving at us pretty hard but we finally got that under control and our offense picked up."

Trampasso credits Prentice, as well as outside Victoria Henry and Heckathorn at right side, for stepping up and making plays.

"At first we were trying to do it on their own but when we came together as a team and had good passes, that led to sets and swings and that's when we started pulling ahead," she said.

Prentice led Sweet Home with 13 kills and 11 digs. Allen (eight kills), Heckathorn (seven kills), Henry (five kills), and Kelly Roberts (four kills, four blocks) also contributed on offense. Carol Skoney (14 digs) and Tori Kindron (11 digs) chipped in defensively.

Lake Shore's Maureen Tilert had 14 kills and seven digs.

"We knew what we had to do to stop her and I think we stopped her," Trampasso said. "She only got a few aces, her serve only took a couple points and we were really blocking her."

Sweet Home finished 13-4 overall. Prentice, Heckathorn, Roberts, Kindron and Michelle Price are seniors.

"We had an awesome season," said Trampasso. "I couldn't have asked any more. We defended our sectional title. The girls definitely took the regional loss hard but Wayne's a good team. I wouldn't be surprised if they win states."

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com