Burnt Hills reaches 23rd consecutive sectional girls' volleyball final with win over Gloversville

PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter R. Barber

Callie Chevalier of Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake spikes a ball during Tuesday's match with Gloversville.

The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake girls’ volleyball team advanced to its 23rd consecutive Section II title match with a three-set semifinal sweep of Gloversville Tuesday night.

Morgan Bohlke had a big performance at the net with nine kills and five blocks in the Spartans’ 25-7, 25-19, 25-8 Class A win. Hannah Shell had eight kills, and Claire Isaksen collected 23 assists.

Burnt Hills (27-5), which equaled last season’s win total, will take on Queensbury in Saturday’s 7 p.m. title match at Saratoga Springs High School. Queensbury avenged two Foothills Council losses by beating South Glens Falls 26-24, 25-19, 25-23. Burnt Hills will be striving for its 18th straight area championship.

Nine-time defending Class AA champion Shenendehowa earned an opportunity to go for 10 when it defeated Guilderland 25-8, 25-23, 25-20.

Rose Talty had nine kills for the Plainsmen, Annie Sala had seven kills, Colleen Murphy assisted on 28 points, and Payton Zophy finished with 13 defensive digs. Sala and Zophy led the team with 13 and 10 service points, respectively.

Amber Nunziato had four kills for Guilderland, and Lauren Hoyle had five blocks.

Shenendehowa and Niskayuna will meet in a rematch from the 2018 tournament final Saturday at 5 p.m. at Saratoga Springs High School after the Silver Warriors beat Ballston Spa 25-16, 25-22, 15-25, 25-14.

Stefana Stan had 20 kills and 21 digs for Niskayuna, Cat Schiavi had 17 kills and 24 digs, Laura Mason recorded a team-high 31 digs, and Katie Atchinson came away with 24 assists. Anna Pilkey and Hunter Campion both had seven kills for Ballston Spa.

Broadalbin-Perth swept Hudson Falls, and Holy Names outlasted Cobleskill-Richmondville in five sets, to set up Saturday’s 3 p.m. Class B title match at Saratoga. Broadalbin-Perth will be playing in its seventh straight final.

Marilyn Whitcavitch piled up 10 kills, 10 blocks, 18 digs and five aces, and Fonda-Fultonville advanced to Friday’s 5 p.m. Class C title match with a 25-13, 25-19, 25-23 win over Tamarac.

Madisyn Dineen and Peyton Zilles both served five aces for the Braves, and Julia Bagnardi had four aces and 11 assists.

Lake George earned a spot alongside Fonda-Fultonville by rallying past Voorheesville 21-25, 25-7, 25-9, 25-10.

Galway overpowered Hartford behind Julie Reedy’s 17 kills and Amber Kolpakas’ 15 kills in a Class D semifinal 25-13, 25-14, 25-13.

Katy Kurtzner anchored the Galway defense with 24 digs. Anna Gardner added five kills and four blocks.

Galway and Argyle play for the title Friday at 7 p.m. at Saratoga.

CLASS AA

SHENENDEHOWA 3, GUILDERLAND 0
Set scores: 25-8, 25-23, 25-20. Guilderland highlights: Hoyle, 5 blocks; Nunziato, 4 kills. Shenendehowa highlights: Murphy, 28 assists; Zophy, 13 digs, 10 service points; Talty, 9 kills; Sala, 7 kills, 13 service points.

NISKAYUNA 3, BALLSTON SPA 1
Set scores: 25-16, 25-22, 15-25, 25-14. Ballston Spa highlights: Russell, 9 digs; Pilkey, 10 digs, 7 kills; Campion, 7 kills. Niskayuna highlights: Stan, 20 kills, 21 digs; Schiavi, 17 kills, 24 digs; Mason, 31 digs; Atchinson, 24 assists, 7 digs; Kelleher, 6 kills.

CLASS A

BURNT HILLS-BALLSTON LAKE 3, GLOVERSVILLE 0
Set scores: 25-7, 25-19, 25-8. Gloversville highlights: Not reported. Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake highlights: Bohlke, 9 kills, 5 blocks; Isaksen, 23 assists; Shell, 8 kills.

CLASS C

FONDA-FULTONVILLE 3, TAMARAC 0
Set scores: 25-13, 25-19, 25-23. Fonda-Fultonville highlights: Whitcavitch, 10 klls, 18 digs, 10 blocks, 5 aces; Bagnardi, 11 assists, 7 digs; Dineen, 5 aces, 12 digs; Zilles, 5 aces, 18 digs. Tamarac highlights: DeCarlo, 12 assists; Cellucci, 5 kills.

CLASS D

GALWAY 3, HARTFORD 0
Set scores: 25-13, 25-14, 25-13. Hartford highlights: Not reported. Galway highlights: Reedy, 17 kills; Kolpakas, 15 kills; Kurtzner, 24 digs; Gardner, 5 kills.