Fairport, Webster Schroeder punch tickets to girls volleyball NYS final four
VICTOR — Fairport and Webster Schroeder opened the season against each other.
And after Saturday's region finals, the Red Raiders and Warriors happen to be the last Section V girls volleyball teams standing.
Local teams went 2-4 against Section VI in this weekend's New York State Public High School Athletic Association Far West Regionals. The final two matches happened to feature Section V's only clubs to advance to next weekend's state final four.
Fairport's unbeaten season was on the ropes during a 3-1 win over Lancaster in the Class AAA match. The Red Raiders dropped the first set and trailed late in the fourth, but were able to avenge their 2022 regional loss to the Legends. Fairport won a regular season match at Lancaster 3-2.
Webster Schroeder hasn't lost since losing to Fairport in the opener. The Warriors' defense looked like the real deal in a straight sets win over regional regular Frontier of Section VI in the Class AA final.
"It's everything we've worked for," Fairport coach Trish Forgensi said. "It's what these girls show up in the gym for. Unless something went wrong, we knew we would make it to regionals. This was the game we needed to focus on and work hard for. Every time they showed up in the gym, they showed up to win this game."
What it means
Fairport coach Trish Forgensi's Red Raiders are now 19-0. They have a 38-2 record during their 2022 and 2023 section championship campaigns.
Webster Schroeder coach Pete DeWitte's Warriors (19-1) will ride a 19-game winning streak into the state tournament. It appears to be Schroeder's first trip to states, DeWitte said.
"This is one team that loves each other," DeWitte said. "They're very relaxed in practice and they just want to play. We have fun at practice and we do great things, but at the end of the day we just want to come out here and play. They show up and surprise me with how well they play half the time."
Alexander (21-3) fell to Chautauqua Lake 3-1in the Class D regional. They led the fourth set 19-13 before losing 24-26. In Class A, Pittsford Sutherland (18-3) lost to Williamsville South in straight sets. Livonia (19-4) fell to Southwestern in straight sets in the Class B final. Perennial state champion Portville eliminated Attica (21-1) in straight sets as well.
Top players
Class AAA
Lancaster had no answer for Kiera Cornman. The junior outside hitter led Fairport with 21 kills. Lana Wood paced the offense with 42 assists. Meghan Clifford had 15 kills and four blocks in a battle with Lancaster middle Madison Francis.
Class AA
Lina Fitzharris can swing with the best of them. Madalyn Brown played one of her best matches. Erin Mueller made "clutch" serves and kills. Elizabeth Ford and Ava Gallup played well in the middle. Sarah Ferruzza always sets well, and Annabelle Weis provided tough defense.
Maddie Siphakongviseth and company keyed on Penn State commit Marin Collins, an "impressive" junior with fierce attacks. But Schroeder stopped Frontier's other players enough to not give up a set.
Top plays
Class AAA
Francis, Lancaster's junior middle hitter who is a Division I basketball prospect, troubled Fairport with her hops, agility and hard swings. Clifford won the battle in the end, though. Wood Clifford's her match point, watching her kill trickle through Francis and Allison Farmer's double block attempt to win the fourth set 25-23.
Class AA
Sarah Ferruzza won state championships in softball and basketball. She can add a volleyball state final four to the list after she set Lina Fitzharris' match point kill to edge Frontier in the third set 25-23.
What's next
The NYSPHSAA Championships are next weekend at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls. The semifinals begin Saturday and the finals are slated for Sunday.
Fairport will play Section IX's Pine Bush in the Class AAA semis at 8 a.m. Section II's Shenendehowa, the 2022 Class AA state champ, is in the other semifinal. Webster Schroeder will play Section IX's Cornwall in the Class AA semis at 10:15 a.m.
Championship matches are slated for Sunday, Nov. 19.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Fairport, Webster Schroeder advance to NY girls volleyball final four
