It proved to be far from easy, but Spencerport clinched their second consecutive boys’ volleyball regular season Class B division crown with a 25-13, 25-22, 25-23 win over Churchville-Chili on senior night.
The Rangers got three kills from Trevor Lane as they ran out to an 8-3 lead in the first game. Kills from Zach Baxter, Andrew Bertino, John Olmstead and Josh Rabidoux plus a block by 2015 team MVP Jarod Bernard helped make the lead 18-9 on their way to an easy win.
The second set was tied eight times and 9-9 before Spencerport found their offensive rhythm with kills by Rabidoux, Lane, Olmstead and Baxter to take a 16-12 lead.
Churchville-Chili fought back on kills by Tyler St. Denis, Vincent Orologio and Nathan Faas to close within 21-18. Down 23-19, the Saints again rebounded on a block by Dylan Angora and a kill by Jarod Moore to close to within one of the Rangers lead at 23-22, but a kill by Rabidoux and a block from Baxter finished the 25-22 Rangers win.
The third set was equally tight. The Saints took their first extended lead of the match 9-6 thanks to a pair of kills by Angora, and ace from St. Denis and a kill by Orologio.
The score was tied eight times afterward, including 22-22, before the Rangers’ Rabidoux had two kills sandwiching a block by Baxter to secure the sweep and head coach Aaron Austin’s 80th career win.
Spencerport clinched their second consecutive division title with the win and will attempt to avenge their Section V championship game loss last season as the number one seed.
St. Denis led the Saints attack with five kills with Angora adding four kills with a pair of blocks and Moore nine digs with four kills.
Rabidoux paced the Rangers with 16 kills, Lane had ten kills, Baxter eight kills with four blocks, Barnard dished out 39 assists and Jaden Gillette had a team-high 15 digs.
