Cranford Beats SP-F in Spirited Volleyball Match

The Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School girl’s volleyball team challenged defending group champion Cranford Monday afternoon in a spirited three games that had the main gymnasium alive.

The Raiders (11-5) won the first game 25-19, but lost the last two games 25-16 and 25-15. Cranford, the defending state Group II champ, improved to 11-4.

The Raiders got strong games from junior outside hitter Aysia Peterson, who had five kills, six digs, six service points and one ace. Junior setter Rebecca Kreyer had 13 assists and six service points and one ace and senior middle hitter and tri captain Kim Wenson had five kills, three blocks, three digs, four service points and three aces. Junior libero Amanda White added 13 digs.

“It has happened to us quite a few times – we came out strong, but the next two games we couldn’t get it together," Peterson said. “They get on a serving streak and we kind of slumped. We came back, but we didn’t come back enough times."

Head coach Adrienne Stack said she is confident the team is at the cusp of doing some special things. The Raiders, the No. 4 seed in the Union County Tournament, just weren’t consistent enough to beat Cranford.

The Raiders cut the Cranford lead to 15-14, but the Cougars scored 10 of the last 10 points, including nine straight. The Raiders did rally in the first game. They were down 5-1 and 9-2 before tying the game at 15. They took a 16-15 lead and never left it get away.

“A lot of things have to come together to really put games away and I said to them, ‘to make everything work the passes have got to be there, the serves have to be there,' when one of those things are off, it throws off your game. I’m not being cocky, but my girls are a great team. But you have to be able to come back from mistakes you make and we’ll keep working on it."

Senior tri-captain Becky Brand had four kills, one block, six digs and a service point. Junior opposite Erin Brown added a block and three digs and senior tri captain Natalie Deduck had two kills, two blocks, one dig, four service points and two aces. Danielle Schweizer had three digs, two assists, five service points and an ace.

“I told them that this is my team, I wouldn’t trade any of them," Stack said.

The Raiders play host to No. 5 seed New Providence Saturday morning in the county quarterfinals.