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Randolph Advances To D1 Final

Cardinals Knock Off No. 4 Maple Grove

Randolph’s Eve Adams sets the ball to a teammate during Tuesday’s Section VI Class D1 semifinal against Maple Grove in Randolph. P-J photos by Jay Young

RANDOLPH — There was a tangible feeling that whichever team could come away with a win in the hotly contested first set of Tuesday night’s Section VI Class D1 semifinal would have a good chance of winning, and that turned out to be the case.

Prevailing in the opener, 29-27, No. 1 Randolph would go on to claim wins of 25-21 and 25-13 to move past No. 4 Maple Grove and earn a 6 p.m. Thursday date with No. 2 Cassadaga Valley at Jamestown Community College.

Things were as close as they could be through the first frame, with the Red Dragons jumping out to an early lead before Randolph was able to settle into a rhythm. Alyssa Adams ultimately sealed up the opener with an overhand winner.

“I thought they looked a little nervous starting out, which surprised me,” Randolph head coach Robin Maycock said. “Once they regained their composure I felt a lot better. That first set sets the momentum for the game, I definitely wanted to get that one. I still felt confident in the team, but I just thought ‘we really need to get this one.’ This would just set the tone for the rest of the night and it did.”

A defensive save by Sam Snow and a tipped winner from Bre Hill would get Maple Grove out on the right foot with a 4-1 lead to begin the night. From there, Hill set to work with some solid serving before picking up her first kill of the night as Maple Grove earned an 8-4 lead.

Randolph head coach Robin Maycock speaks to her team during Tuesday’s Section VI Class D1 semifinal against Maple Grove in Randolph.

Brynn Pagett would return fire for the top-seeded hosts, picking up a point on a tipped ball and another with a shot that trickled over the net. Randolph would see its first lead of the evening at 15-14 after Adams sent an overhand off the fingers of a defender and Jillian Stahley picked up an overhand winner.

The Cardinals would see a three-point margin at 21-18, but Maple Grove was able to bring that back to even at 24-24 when Snow struck a serve off the top of the net.

Down the stretch both teams would trade points back-and-forth, with Randolph finally finishing things off when Livani Johnson went to the service line to pave the way for Adams’ big winner.

“I think our first set we were communicating well,” Maple Grove coach Bayley Johnson said. “We were executing the things we needed to do. Our first set our passing was a lot better than the other sets and I think that makes a big difference.”

Using the momentum from that first-set win, Randolph would break out to a 6-2 lead with a kill from Sydney Hvizdzak and a tip winner by Adams after a great defensive play from Maple Grove’s Snow. After bringing things back to even at 9-9, the Red Dragons would start to let things slip away in the second set as Hvizdzak and Adams continued their strong hitting.

The Red Dragons’ Erin Mansfield lunges for the ball as teammate Bre Hill looks on.

Hill would be held to eight kills and two aces for Maple Grove, thanks to the defensive efforts of Randolph.

“We focused on her yesterday in practice and said ‘OK, we’re going to try and take away the cross-court shot and try and force her to hit line,'” Maycock said of Hill. “You can’t really set up one way against us, because I feel like we have five strong hitters. I have three setters and at any moment any of them can come out and set the ball. Definitely the most well-rounded team I’ve ever had. I don’t feel like we have a weak spot.”

Maple Grove would do its best to keep pace with the Cardinals down the stretch, but with just two points to go Hvizdzak and Pagett would come up big with defensive saves to maintain the margin.

Picking up a lead following a pair of miscues in the third set, Randolph would have little trouble down the home stretch as Hope Lienhart and Eve Adams picked up big points on service aces.

“I am so proud of these girls. I have a freshman setter, she is working so hard,” Johnson said. “I have two other sophomores that had never played volleyball, and they are starting on my team. I’m really proud of the seniors as well for taking those girls under their wings and encouraging them to work harder every single practice.”

NOTES: Randolph would have Pagett and Adams each finish with seven service points while Pagett grabbed seven kills and Adams eight assists. … Adams grabbed eight kills and two aces; Hvizdzak five kills and four digs; and Lienhart added seven service points. … Erin Mansfield picked up nine assists and Kelsey Tarbrake 10 digs for Maple Grove.

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