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Fredonians ‘Fight for Faso’ at local volleyball game

OBSERVER Photo by Mary Ann Wiberg Cassadaga Valley’s Savanna Nickerson sets the ball up for a spike in Thursday’s win against Fredonia.

Although Cassadaga Valley’s girls volleyball team took the “Fight for Faso” on the court, the fundraiser outside the Fredonia gym had a more important result.

The Fredonia Lady Hillbillies raffled off gift baskets, offered food for sale and sold bracelets to benefit lifelong area resident Laurie Faso, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in May. Faso worked for many years as a Fredonia High School secretary.

“The DiRusso family approached me at the beginning of the season and asked if we could put this benefit together,” Fredonia coach Amanda Krakowiak said. “We were more than happy to support Laurie and her family.”

Both teams temporarily set aside their uniforms and purchased shirts for the game with “Fight For Faso” across the front. Those proceeds also went to the fundraiser.

The volleyball match showcased the difference between an experienced team and a young squad still learning the varsity volleyball ropes. The visiting Lady Cougars — composed exclusively of juniors and seniors — won 25-13, 25-14, 25-21.

After a tight start to the match, Cassadaga Valley (8-1, 6-0) took control over Fredonia (2-6, 2-4) in the first game behind the serving of Ashley Lind, going up 14-7. Senior Jenna Caskey dominated the latter stages of the game, with three kills in her team’s last five points, including an emphatic spike to close it out.

“We thought that with one of their hitters being out with an injury (Lianna DiRusso) that they might not be hitting as much, so we might get some free balls,” Cassadaga Valley coach Denny Wakelee said. “So we worked a lot in practice on our transitions off free balls.”

Savanna Nickerson’s strong serving got the Lady Cougars off to a solid start in the second game. Her ace made it 7-1, and though a Mackenzie Markham block got Fredonia to within 12-8, she capped off another Cassadaga Valley run later in the game with another service ace to make it 23-11.

The third and final game was the closest, tied at 2 early on after a block by Fredonia’s Gracie Morrison. But Cassadaga Valley gradually built a lead, and Caskey came through toward the end of the game with two more spikes that the Lady Hillbillies couldn’t handle.

“We are a team that lacks experience. … We’re young and we’re learning,” Krakowiak said.

“Just being in correct positions on defense was much better today,” she continued. “Keeping volleys going back and forth was a huge achievement for us. We’re getting there. It’s a little slow, but we’ll get there eventually.”

Caskey finished with seven kills, while Nickerson had 14 assists and six aces. Lind made five digs and served two aces.

Fredonia was led by Katie Price’s 14 digs and the three blocks and three kills of Morrison.

“It’s not about going to one person,” Krakowiak said. “We are working together as a team. We are focusing on the team effort.”

The Lady Cougars return to action Tuesday, hosting Dunkirk. The Lady Hillbillies are back on the court Wednesday at Forestville.

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