Batavia holds off stubborn Metea

Updated: August 26, 2011 7:58AM

Batavia faces an uphill battle every year in an Upstate Eight Conference that features perennial volleyball powerhouse St. Charles East as well as traditionally strong programs like Geneva and St. Charles North.

But with seven players back from a year ago, including several third-year players, and four-year veteran and Marquette recruit Mary Nilles pulling the strings, the Bulldogs like their chances in 2011.

“This is my fourth year on varsity and I think we should be contending for conference and go far in regionals and sectionals,” Nilles said. “St. Charles East is really tough, Geneva and St. Charles North. It’s a really, really tough conference.

“But it’s fun to see how you compete against the best of the best,” she said.

Batavia had to dig deep and play its best against a stubborn Metea Valley team Thursday in Aurora. But Nilles and company fought off a game point in the second set to defeat the Mustangs 25-22, 27-25 to improve to 2-0 on the young season.

Batavia got 17 assists from Nilles, five kills apiece from 6-foot-1 junior Kristen Koncelik, 5-11 sophomore Heather Meyer and 5-10 junior Anysa Ocon, and nine digs from senior libero Stephanie Kinane.

“Our team is split in half,” Nilles said. “There are girls who have been together a good amount of time, and then there are new girls. It’s really cool to get a nice mix. You can definitely tell the difference, but the veterans are reaching out to help the younger girls.”

Two of the new girls – Meyer and sophomore Jess Hartman – combined for four kills as Batavia broke an 8-8 tie in Game 1 with a 7-0 run. Five-foot-4 outside Brianne Honda and 6-3 middle Jessica Boddy got Metea Valley (1-1) within 24-22, but a Koncelik kill closed out the set.

“That’s a real good team,” Nilles said. “They got Boddy and these little girls who can jump out of the gym. They’re a really talented team, really scrappy.”

Metea Valley turned to its bench in Game 2, but it was Boddy who gave the hosts a 15-13 lead with a huge putaway. Batavia rallied to grab a 21-18 lead on a Metea Valley service error, but a kill by 5-11 freshman Lexie Lobdell pulled the Mustangs even at 23-all.

“She’s (Lobdell) going to be great,” said Metea Valley coach James Milkert, who started a freshman, two sophomores, two juniors and Boddy in Game 2. “That’s an intimidating environment for a freshman to play in.

“I talked to her after the match and told her, ‘What more could you have really expected from yourself. You’ve never been in this experience. It’s not eighth grade volleyball anymore,’” he added. “She didn’t play great, but she held her own all things considered.”

A Batavia service error gave Metea Valley set point at 25-24, but a kill by Ocon that split the block and an error by the hosts gave Batavia match point. Ocon’s kill off the top off a defender’s hands made for a happy bus ride home for the Bulldogs.

“It was crazy,” Batavia coach Lori Trippi-Payne said. “I wish we had made more serves. I ran out of subs in the second set. We kept rotating. But we definitely got contributions from everybody. That’s what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to have good balance in our lineup.”

Honda led Metea Valley with eight kills, Boddy had six kills and two blocks, Lobdell added five kills and an ace, and sophomore setter Ellie Petersen added 10 assists and an ace.

“I thought the fight in the second game was great,” Milkert said. “We didn’t play that well in the first game, but we put a couple of new people in the second game who responded and fought back. We had plays to win that second set.”

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