AMHERST — Magnificat does not mention the heights of its players on its roster.
If you have to ask, you don’t want to know.
“I’m not going to lie,” Amherst coach Laurie Cogan said after Magnificat defeated the Comets in four games Saturday. “They have an advantage.”
The Blue Streaks beat Amherst 25-22, 20-25, 25-22 and 25-22. It was a good big team beating a team that’s only good.
“Their height was the difference,” Cogan added. “What are you going to? They’re tall and skilled. They’re like that every year.”
And every year Amherst is the first team to find out. The Comets and the Blue Streaks have opened their seasons against each other for many years.
“I’m not going to drop them from our schedule,” Cogan said. “It’s a non-conference match and it’s only Aug. 23. This is a good match for us, to see what we need to do heading into the (Southwestern Conference).”
Magnificat has four regulars taller than 5-foot-9 Abby Burgdorf, Amherst’s tallest player. Cogan said she wouldn’t lie, and neither would the statistics.
Michelle Chakirelis had 17 kills and six blocks (three block kills). Danielle McQuade had 14 kills and seven blocks (five block kills). Kara Stilphen added six blocks (three block kills) while Brittany Balser and Micaela Castele each had eight kills. The Streaks had 26 blocks as a team.
“That’s a very good team,” Magnificat coach Mike Cannon said about Amherst. “I was happy we were able to block as well as we did, especially against (Deme) Morales.”
Morales, Amherst’s outstanding sophomore outside hitter, was badgered throughout the match by the taller Streaks. She was held to just nine kills on 39-of-45 hitting.
Aleecia Sunagel, the Comets’ other outside hitter, was the team’s best hitter, going 33-of-37 with 14 kills in her varsity debut.
“She was a huge surprise,” Cogan said. “I didn’t know what I was going to get from Aleecia. But we singled out her play and the play of Angie Pellitieri, who only played in two games. Angie made some amazing back-row plays in Game 4.”
Pellittieri led Amherst with 14 digs.
But it was not just Magnificat’s size that spelled trouble for Amherst. The Comets failed to serve up to their capabilities, Cogan said.
“They didn’t give me the aggressive serve I wanted,” the coach said. “I know they can serve that way but we didn’t make it tough enough for (Magnificat). We wanted either an ace or a serve to get them out of system. We put our serves within their system and we had trouble receiving their serves.”
Amherst started the match slowly, falling behind 8-3 and 14-8 before making it close. The Comets got to within two points of the lead three times in Game 1 before falling.
Magnificat jumped out to an early lead in the second game, but Amherst ran off five straight points and constructed an 11-9 lead, increasing the advantage to as many as six points. Magnificat’s 12 unforced errors were key in giving Amherst its only victory.
The score was tied at 15 in Game 3 before the Streaks went ahead 23-16. Amherst’s rally ended as Castele’s kill gave Magnificat a 2-1 lead. The Comets fell behind 12-7 and 17-11 in Game 4 before they again made it close. McQuade’s kill down the left sideline finished the match.
Amherst setter Lauren Percival was 93-of-93 with 16 assists. Her Magnificat counterpart, Rachel Gulasey, had 47 assists. Percival and Kaylee Koller followed Pellittieri in digging with 13 apiece.
Contact Steve Byrne at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.

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