The Rye Volleyball team just won a match in which they officially led for all of 11 points.
In a remarkable show of resilience, the top-ranked Garnets overcame a 2-0 deficit in sets to stun #5 Ardsley on Wednesday, November 4, as they advanced to the sectional championship game. Rye looked to be in trouble in all five sets, including the three they won, but gutted out a signature victory in their final home game of 2026.
Ardsley entered the match having swept Rye in the regular season on September 8, and that trend continued through the first two sets. It looked like the Panthers were en route to another sweep when they went up 10-5 in set three and forced Garnets coach Geri Jones to use a timeout. Whether due to the timeout, or to desperation kicking in, or a combination of both, the Garnets found their mojo immediately. Rye won 20 of the final 32 points to take the set and keep the match going.
Set 4 followed a similar pattern, as the Panthers led by as much as 16-11. A 7-2 run brought the score back to even and breathed another new life into the Garnets. Rye went on to win the set 25-20 to force a decisive fifth set to 15 points.
Rye led quickly 2-0, but Ardsley stormed back and looked – once again – to be in control with a 10-7 advantage, just five points away from the upset.
For a final time, the script flipped. Rye cut the deficit to 10-8, then 10-9. Ardsley scored on a kill to get within four of the finals, but that would be their last point of the match. Audre Campbell recorded a solo block to tie the game at 11, then earned a kill on a slide to give Rye the lead for the first time, officially, since 9-8 in set one.
An ace and a setter dump set up the final point, which Caroline Korian delivered from the back row to seal an electric comeback victory.
Statistically, many Garnets put forth season-best results. Amelie Modesto shined with 48 assists and 25 digs for an easy double-double. Katie Hillis followed suit with 29 digs and 17 kills. Audre Campbell, Giorgia Brizio, and Charlie Wing all reached double digits in kills, while Margo Ehrenberg rose to the occasion with 28 digs. Along with the winning kill, Korian had three aces and 16 digs.
#1 Rye (17-2, 2-0 postseason) meets #2 Somers in the section final on Sunday, November 8, at 1:30pm at the Westchester County Center. The Tuskers will enter the contest without dropping a set in the playoffs, while Rye enters on a 15-game winning streak. Something will have to give on Sunday with the Garnets looking to repeat as section champions. Replay the semifinal win over Ardsley here.
