Volleyball
harder, get those passes up a little bit more,” she said. “I communicated with my setter more and asked her to set me the ball. I talked between plays about what plays to run. I told her I would do my part if she set me up.”
Angelena Tripi, the Eagles’ setter, had 53 assists and 12 digs; Kira Buza nine kills; Chloe Cole seven kills and nine digs, and Abbey Biermann 29 digs as the Eagles improved to 22-3.
Stoney Creek slipped to 19-8, but the OAA Red team didn’t go quietly despite dropping the first two sets.
Emma Beyer’s kill ignited a 6- 0 surge that gave the Cougars a 14-9 lead in the third, and Sydney Tomlak made kills for two of Stoney Creek’s final seven points.
Ainsley Guse had kills for four of six points during one stint in the fourth, and Beyer and Tomlak teamed for six kills down the stretch.
“I’m proud of my team,” Cougars coach Ross Talbot said. “They came and they fought and fought and fought. I’ve been involved in some good matches in 15 years, and I told their coach that’s probably in the top three, or the best match I’ve been involved in.
“We stopped runs (in the third and fourth sets). We’ve been known all year to give runs. We grew up a little on the court tonight. One point here or there, we win the match. I think some of our hitters got a little tired at the end. We were getting a little predictable.”
Talbot said the teams played at a high level.
“That was lights- out post-season volleyball,” he said. “Finally, after COVID and everything else.
“Hats off to Ike. They’re playing well.”
Talbot called Palazzolo a “stud,” and Ike coach Caitlyn LaPratt said she has talked to the senior about consistently putting balls away.
“She’s an amazing volleyball player, and there isn’t a single person that I’ve seen that can dig up her balls when she’s hitting and she’s on.”
The Eagles scored the final seven points of the fifth set. Tripi set Palazzolo for a kill that made it
14-7 after Maddy Mets had one kill and Buza two to start the surge.
“This was sort of anticipated,” LaPratt. “Big rivalry match. There was a lot laying on us. These girls have been waiting for this moment. We had to take care of business here.
“Everyone stepped up today. I think any team plays well when they have the lead, us especially. And that fifth set is all momentum. We were able to build some momentum.”
Palazzolo’s kills accounted for the Eagles’ final three points of the first set.
Tripi set Buza for a kill that broke a 23-all tie in the second, and a pair of Palazzolo kills helped the Eagles close out the set.
Eisenhower plays Romeo at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Rochester. Following that match. Rochester takes on Rochester Adams.
The championship match is at 6 p.m. Thursday at Rochester.