Archive: Sports

Lansing came on strong in Groton on 10/15 and breezed through the first two sets 25-12, 25-14.  Fed by Taylor Bandler, Kristen Beyea seemed unstoppable on offense.  Lansing played a smart game, with cross-court kills into far corners, passes and tips into defensive holes.  Team play was smooth.

And then Groton woke up.  In the third set, Groton turned on the heat with aces, found gaps in Lansing’s defense, and handled Lansing’s offense with digs and blocks, pressuring the Bobcats into misplaced spikes.  Lansing fell behind by ten points, 11-21, before rallying.  Then it was Groton’s turn for errors under the barrage of Lansing’s offense, which earned a tied score at 23-23.  Three more times the score was tied before a tip by Blair Wigsten and a block by Amber Howser sealed the victory 28-26.

Beyea dominated on offense, with nine kills.  A similar number was delivered by six teammates: Tara Miller (4), Kari Fenner (2), Wigsten, Howser, Nicolo Gentile, and Breanna Brann.   The team’s depth and versatility again showed in the range of players assisting.  Bandler led with nine assists, Fenner had five, Nicole Washburn three, and Brann and Wigsten one each.  Bandler contributed seven aces, Howser five, Gentile three, Sunah Bong two, and Fenner and Brann one each.  Howser also put up three blocks, Beyea two, and Miller one.  Gentile anchored the defense, followed by Niki Gain, who had six digs.

The undefeated Bobcats followed their IAC win with a weekend tournament conquest in Dryden, where Lansing beat the home team in the championship match.

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