Fox Lane boys volleyball nets a victory over Carmel

Joe Racanelli slams one down for the Foxes. Juan Lopez-Correa serves one up for Foxes in win over Carmel. Colin Isabella returns serve. JIM MACLEAN PHOTOS

By JIM MACLEAN 

The first game was a perfect example of what the Fox Lane boys volleyball team is capable of doing on the court this fall.

Led by six senior veterans, Fox Lane has a talented veteran cast and those six seniors dominated for an easy victory in the first game on Oct. 3, as the Foxes hosted Carmel. The next three games proved to be a different story, but Fox Lane prevailed with a 3-1 victory by the scores of 25-8, 25-23, 24-26, 25-20 for another victory.

In the first game the six senior starters put on a showcase to prove just how they can control the game. With senior setters Juan Lopez-Correa and Matt Sarote setting the ball up for senior hitters Ryan Hardie, Joe Racanelli, Sean Singleton and Colin Isabella, the Foxes are a tough team to match up against. Lopez-Correa and Sarote can also take control of the game with their serving as both of them racked up the service points in the first game with a number of aces.

Lopez-Correa got the Foxes started as he served first and Fox Lane jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead. After a pair of kills from Singleton at the net made it 12-5, Sarote took over as he served nine-straight points and the Foxes led 20-5 after a kill from Hardie and an ace from Sarote.

Fox Lane closed out the first game with ease as Singleton registered an ace to finish it off at 25-8.

The second game would prove to be tougher as Carmel tried to answer back and the Rams took a 4-2 lead. Carmel led 12-8 when Fox Lane rallied to tie it up at 13-13 on a kill from Racanelli to give the Foxes the momentum. Hardie registered a pair of kills to make it 17-14, and Singleton added a pair of kills to make it 19-15.

However, Carmel kept fighting back and the Rams tied it up at 21-21, but the Foxes were able to close out the game at 25-23 for a 2-0 lead.

With a commanding lead, Fox Lane was hoping for another strong game to close it out as Lopez-Correa once again got them out to a 5-0 lead, serving up a couple of aces. And once again the Rams refused to go down easy as Carmel rallied back to tie it up at 5-5. Fox Lane answered and opened up a 10-5 lead and held a 14-10 advantage when Carmel stormed back again to take the lead at 15-14. The Rams kept playing tough and took a 19-16 lead before the Foxes started to come alive again at the net. Racanelli had a pair of kills and Hardie had a kill and a block to even it up at 20-20, but Carmel was able to close out a 26-24 victory to force a game four.

Fox Lane would not allow it to go five games as the Foxes were determined to close out the match. Lopez-Correa once again staked the Foxes to a 5-0 lead behind his serve, and the Foxes appeared to be in control.

And once again Carmel responded. It was back-and-forth as the Rams tied it up at 18-18 and it was still tied up at 20-20 when Lopez-Correa got the ball in his hands again for his turn in the rotation serving. He made the most of the opportunity with five-straight points, including three aces, and the Foxes closed out the victory with a 25-20 win on a kill by Isabella to wrap up a 3-1 victory.