Update Nov. 9, 12:30 p.m. -- Pavilion's match on Thursday will be played at 6 p.m. at Caledonia-Mumford High School.
It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the Pavilion varsity girls volleyball team has executed its game plan to perfection this season.
That’s because the Lady Gophers have played 23 matches and have not lost a single set en route to capturing the Section V Class D2 championship – their second straight sectional crown.
Second-seeded Pavilion claimed the trophy on Friday night with a 25-11, 25-15, 25-11 sweep of No. 1 Harley-Allendale-Columbia.
The victory advances the Lady Gophers to the Class D crossover final on Thursday against either Class D1 champion Alexander or Class D3 champion Fillmore.
Alexander – which defeated Letchworth in four sets for the title – will square off against Fillmore at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Pavilion High School, with the winner to meet Pavilion.
The survivor of the three-team Class D playoffs will move on to the Far West Regionals against Chautauqua Lake of Section VI at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Le Roy High School.
Coach Rex Eighmey, in his 18th year at the helm, said the “chemistry” of this year’s Pavilion team is off the charts and credits that to the experience most of the girls have gained from playing “club” and summer volleyball against larger schools in addition to their Section V high school schedule.
“A lot of the girls play club and they just love their volleyball,” he said. “And they just happen to be very good players. That’s the main reason; the players are the reason we’re doing what we’re doing.”
The team is led by what Eighmey calls his “Core Four” of senior setter Shannon Campbell, senior outside hitter and captain Adeline Milligan, junior outside hitter Karlee Zinkievich and 6-foot-1 junior middle hitter Lauren Kingsley.
All four are in their fourth year of varsity volleyball – which equates to a great deal of time on the floor together.
“They’re just so used to playing together,” Eighmey said. “Like some of our fans have said, it’s like a well-oiled machine. They just know where each other is going to be.”
Statistically, entering the sectional title game, Campbell, the squad’s vocal leader, had 483 assists in her setter role; Milligan had 193 kills and 145 digs; Kingsley had 203 kills, 38 ½ blocks and 77 digs, and Zinkievich had 100 aces, 120 kills and 132 digs.
Also playing key roles as hitters and defensive specialists in either the front or back row are Paige Landers, 5-foot-11 Shea Amberger, Sara Laurie, Abby Lemley and Samantha Sikora, Eighmey said.
The starting lineup and substitution patterns have worked to a T thus far as the Lady Gophers’ will take a 69-set winning streak into Thursday’s contest.
When asked how close they came to losing a set, Eighmey said that they trailed Warsaw 24-23 before his team rallied to take the next three points.
“That’s the only team that has come close to beating us in a set,” he said.
The Lady Gophers defeated Alexander this season but did not play against Fillmore.
Eighmey also credited assistant coach Rebecca Zinkievich for her dedication to the finer points of the sport.
“Rebecca is a big part of this. She does a lot of drills and a lot of practices and stuff,” he said.
On Sunday, the coaches (junior varsity coach Betty Worthington also is an assistant) and players watched the videotape of Chautauqua Lake’s 25-17, 25-12, 16-25, 25-13 victory over Randolph in the Section VI Class D finals. Chautauqua Lake is 17-0.
“They’re a strong team, but we’re looking forward to the challenge,” Eighmey said. “The sectionals are huge, and now, hopefully, we can win (the regionals) and make it to the four-team state tournament on November 20th and 21st in Glens Falls.”
Submitted photo: The Pavilion Lady Gophers with the Section V Class D2 trophy following Friday's victory over Harley-Allendale-Columbia. Front from left, Shannon Campbell, Sara Logsdon, Paige Landers, Abby Lemley, Lily Macaluso, Karlee Zinkievich; back, Assistant Coach Rebecca Zinkievich, Jayvee Coach Betty Worthington, Shea Amberger, Lauren Kingsley, Adeline Milligan, Sara Laurie, Samantha Sikora, Coach Rex Eighmey.
